Naples is placing sport at the centre of a wider civic plan, with the future of the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, a new athletics hub, basketball infrastructure and the 2027 America’s Cup all moving through the city’s agenda at the same time.
Mayor Gaetano Manfredi set out that programme during the presentation of the television show Il Bello del Calcio at Palazzo Petrucci, describing a city seeking to turn its sporting visibility into lasting facilities and major-event capability. For Napoli, the stadium remains the most immediate issue, particularly as the city works towards a potential role at Euro 2032.
Maradona Stadium central to Euro 2032 plans
Funding for the redevelopment of the Maradona has been approved, and the municipality is now preparing Naples’ European Championship bid. Manfredi said the city has the international standing and recognition to make a credible case, but stressed that a tournament application extends far beyond the ground itself.
Transport, visitor services, public safety and connectivity will all form part of the submission. In the mayor’s view, Euro 2032 should not be treated as the final objective but as a starting point for a substantial reconstruction of a stadium whose sporting history carries particular value for Naples.
The planned work at Fuorigrotta includes the removal of the athletics track, allowing the stands to be brought closer to the pitch. The city intends to build a replacement athletics facility in the Bagnoli area, within a broader Parco dello Sport project.
Manfredi said Naples has previously been unable to stage significant athletics events because of inadequate infrastructure. The Bagnoli scheme is therefore intended to be more than a track alone, providing a larger sporting space for the city.
Different paths for the city and De Laurentiis
Aurelio De Laurentiis continues to pursue his own stadium redevelopment idea in Naples East, while the municipality’s priority is the modernisation of the Maradona. Manfredi said he and the Napoli president have discussed the issue many times and acknowledged that they hold different views.
However, the mayor did not rule out a future project from the club owner. He said the administration would welcome any major private investment that genuinely regenerated an area of Naples in need of improvement. The city, he added, will continue to focus heavily on bringing the Maradona up to contemporary standards.
The two approaches leave Napoli’s stadium question open, but with the municipal plan now supported by approved funding and linked to the city’s Euro 2032 ambitions.
Basketball arena proposal enters formal phase
The city is also working on an arena capable of hosting Napoli Basket’s home matches. Options under examination include the Mario Argento site and an area near the Centro Direzionale.
Manfredi said Napoli Basket has submitted its first proposal and that the project will now proceed to a services conference, the formal stage involving the relevant public bodies. He cautioned that approval will require guarantees from the club and described the process as far from straightforward.
The municipality hopes to complete the procedure by next spring. Manfredi framed the project as part of an ambition for Naples to compete more strongly in Italian and European basketball, pointing to the city’s market, international appeal and capacity to attract investment.
He also referred to changes around the EuroLeague and discussions involving the NBA over a possible NBA Europe competition. A place in either a EuroLeague structure or a future NBA Europe framework, he said, would represent top-level status for the city.
Talks have also taken place with Matt Rizzetta and investment funds over support for major sporting projects. Manfredi argued that modern arenas can only be delivered through significant private backing, alongside a city reputation capable of drawing investors into ambitious ventures.
America’s Cup preparations begin
Naples is simultaneously preparing for the 2027 America’s Cup, an event expected to involve the wider territory rather than only the waterfront. Manfredi said the campaign to secure it had been difficult, with international counterparts initially questioning whether Naples could meet the commitments it made.
The city will next turn its attention to the Louis Vuitton Cup in May, as it seeks to demonstrate that the assurances given during the bidding process can be carried into delivery.
