The Olimpico is located in northwestern Rome in the Foro Italico sports complex. Construction began in 1928 under Enrico Del Debbio and the venue was expanded in 1937 by Luigi Moretti. World War II interrupted further expansions; after the Liberation of Rome in June 1944, the stadium was used by the Allies as vehicle storage and as a location for Anglo-American military competitions. After the war, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), appointed as operator of the venue, completed construction, and it was opened on 17 May 1953 with a football game between Italy and Hungary. Since opening, the stadium has been home to the city's principal professional football clubs, S.S. Lazio and A.S. Roma. It changed its name to Olimpico in 1955, when Rome was awarded responsibility for the 1960 Summer Olympics. Before 1990, the venue was almost entirely unroofed, except for the Monte Mario Grandstand (Italian: Tribuna Monte Mario). In 1990, the Olimpico was rebuilt and roofed for the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
After its 1990 reconstruction, the stadium has also hosted concerts. The record for highest attendance for a musical event at the stadium was set in 1998 when 90,000 spectators attended a concert of Claudio Baglioni.[6][7]
History
Stadio dei Cipressi
The 1909 plan for the city, designed by the architect and urban planner Edmondo Sanjust, had no sports venues in the northwestern sector of Rome.[8] In 1926, the fascist regime, which saw sport as an effective propaganda tool, changed the plan to include an area for a sports complex.[9] The 85-hectare area was a swamp at the bottom of a hill called Monte Mario, on the right bank of the river Tiber,[10] in the Della Vittoria quarter.[9]
The Foro Italico sports complex was commissioned by the Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB), a youth organisation established by the Fascist government. Work commenced in 1928 under the supervision of the architect Enrico Del Debbio,[9][11] and the Stadio dei Cipressi was one of the venues partially completed in time to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of fascism in Italy. The stadium was opened to the public on 22 October 1932, though without the planned capacity of 100,000. Its main terrace was located on the slope of Monte Mario; because the ground was marshy from rainwater that came down the hill, the playing field was created by raising the ground by 4 meters with two million cubic meters of soil excavated for the foundations.[12] The facility was suitable for both sporting competitions and large gatherings due to its pitch covering ~20,000 square metres.[12]
The stadium in 1941 during a celebration of the Tripartite Pact
The official opening took place on the 14th anniversary of the Italian victory in World War I, with a gymnastics exhibition organized by the various youth Fascist associations.[10]
Since the regime intended to apply to host the 1940 Summer Olympics,[12] starting from 1933 the Stadio dei Cipressi was extended. This was completed by architects Luigi Moretti, Angelo Frisa and Achille Pintonello,[13] who designed a concrete structure[13] which hosted a main football pitch and secondary pitches for basketball and weightlifting.[14] The expanded stadium was opened on 9 May 1937, the first anniversary of the Italian Empire. While the capacity of the stadium was less than 60,000, there were plans to raise it to 100,000.[14] After the absorption of the ONB by the National Fascist Party's youth branch, the Gioventù Italiana del Littorio (GIL), the GIL became the owner of the stadium and the rest of the sports complex.[15]
Despite becoming a multisport venue, the stadium was never used for anything other military exhibitions and mass gatherings. In 1938, it hosted a parade to welcome German dictator Adolf Hitler during his state visit in Rome[16] and, later, to host a gymnastics exhibition organized by the GIL.[17]
In September 1941 the stadium hosted a military celebration of the Tripartite Pact, the political and military alliance between Italy, Germany and Japan.[18]
Planned extensions of the stadium were interrupted by the Italian campaign in WWII and the subsequent fall of Fascism in Italy. When Allied forces entered Rome in 1944, the stadium was used by the Allied troops for vehicle storage and military sports events.[19]
With the fall of the Fascism regime in Italy, the Badoglio government abolished Fascist organizations and reassigned their assets to a new agency, called the Commissariato della Gioventù Italiana (Commission for the Italian Youth), with the provision that after the end of World War II, the Commission's assets would be absorbed into either the Defence Office or the Education Department, depending on their purpose.[20] However, the Commission was never abolished and it retained ownership of the Foro Italico, including the stadium.[20]
Stadio dei Centomila
After World War II, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) was appointed as operator of the site.[21] CONI chairman Giulio Onesti announced that renewal works would finish in 1950.[21]
The renewal project was led by engineer Carlo Roccatelli and architect Cesare Valle.[22]
The stadium's governance was the subject of a fierce political battle. The Communist Party, through its newspaper, l'Unità, accused the Commission for the Italian Youth, led by Giovanni Valente – a member of the Christian Democracy party – of misuse of the complex to establish a sports organization parallel to CONI to favour sports clubs close to Azione Cattolica, a lay Catholic association.[23][24] Later in the decade, l'Unità also accused Valente of mortgaging the complex for three billion lire (approx. 1,500,000 € or 1,600,000 $), to finance ENAL[25] that Valente directed in establishing an alternative betting pool to the Totocalcio (organized by CONI).[26] In 1976, the Commission was abolished[27] and its assets were absorbed by the Italian government.[28]
Annibale Vitellozzi replaced Roccatelli in 1951 after the latter's death.[13] In 1952, the stadium's reconstruction was completed, at a cost of 3,400,000,000 lire (approx 1,700,000 €).[29]
Final of the 1954 rugby union European Cup Italy v France
The new stadium was a 33,500 square-metre[29] concrete structure, clad with travertine.[13] It was composed of two parallel stands of approximately 140 metres each, the Tevere Grandstand (Italian: Tribuna Tevere) on the eastern side and the Monte Mario Grandstand (Italian: Tribuna Monte Mario) on the western side.[13] The northern and southern stands, (respectively, in Italian, Curva Nord and Curva Sud) were shaped as two hemicycles with a radius of 95 metres.[13] The athletics track was 507 metres long.[29][13] The stadium was 319 metres long and 189 wide.[13] The height from the pitch to the top of the grandstands was about 18 metres, however the top of the grandstand were only 13 metres above surface level, with the pitch about 4.5 metres below surface level.[13] The sinking of the pitch was done to prevent the stadium from dominating the Foro Italico's skyline, and to match with other buildings.[13]
Visitors could access the stadium through ten gates, two for each hemycicle stand and three for each straight stand. The whole stadium was unroofed except the Monte Mario Grandstand.[29] Atop the grandstand was an 80-meter long steel structure composed off 40 2-meter wide cubicles, for use by radio and TV commentators.[29] There was also a press room, equipped with 54 phone booths, and teletype, wirephoto and telegraph facilities.[29] 572 seats were reserved for the press.[29]
The Olimpico on a 1950s colour postcard
The Stadio dei Centomila (Stadium of the 100,000), named after its expected capacity, was officially opened on 17 May 1953 by the President of Italy, Luigi Einaudi.[30] An International Cup's football match between Italy and Hungary was held, as well as the finish line of the sixth stage (from Naples to Rome) of the Giro d'Italia. Hungary won 3–0, with a goal by Nándor Hidegkuti, the first ever scorer in the stadium, and two goals from Ferenc Puskás.[31] The sixth leg of the Giro d'Italia was won by Giuseppe Minardi, with the crowd from the football game watching the finish line.[32]
The following Sunday, the stadium hosted its first ever club football match, a Serie A game between SS Lazio and Juventus FC, won by Juventus 1–0 with a goal from Pasquale Vivolo.[33] The next matchday, AS Roma debuted in the stadium, with a draw 0–0 against SPAL.[34]
In 1955, the International Olympic Committee appointed Rome the host city of the 17th Summer Olympics, to be held in 1960.[37] The decision made works to make the stadium compliant for the event more urgent. By this point, the name 'Dei Centomila' was being slowly replaced by 'Olimpico'. Works were relatively minimal, reflecting the stadium's age. Reserved press seats were raised from 572 to 1,126,[29] and four lighting towers were constructed for evening events.[29] Two electronic scoreboards were also installed atop of the northern and southern stands, starting operation on 18 October 1959 with an association football league match between SS Lazio and AS Roma, the two tenant clubs of the venue, won 3–0 by the latter.[38] An autonomous power plant able to produce 375,000watts was received.[29]
After the games, the Olimpico was used primarily as an association-football venue. In addition to hosting the home games of SS Lazio and AS Roma, the stadium had the first (and, to date, only) play-off for the scudetto in 1963–64; Bologna FC and FC Inter had ended the Italian League season level on points, and a tie-breaker was needed to determine the title. Bologna won their seventh (and most recent) Scudetto, defeating Inter 2–0 with an own goal by Giacinto Facchetti and a goal by Harald Nielsen.[44]
In 1960, UEFA established the European Championship. The host of the finals would be chosen from the four countries who reached the semi-finals. Italy did not reach that stage in the first two editions, but in 1968 it reached the "Final Four" with England, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union and was chosen by UEFA to host the final tournament.[45]Florence and Naples hosted the semi-finals and the Olimpico hosted the title game, which saw the home team facing Yugoslavia. For the first (and only) time in the history of the tournament, a replay was necessary; on 8 June 1968 the match ended 1–1, with a goal by Dragan Džajić equalled in the final minutes by the Italian Angelo Domenghini.[46] Italy defeated Yugoslavia 2–0 two days later, with goals by Luigi Riva and Pietro Anastasi, and became the European champions.[47]
Juventus captain Sandro Salvadore(left) in action against Independiente in 1973
Juventus FC, runner-up in the 1972–73 European Cup, was invited to represent UEFA in the 1973 Intercontinental Cup against the Argentine CA Independiente after European champions AFC Ajax refused to participate in the tournament.[48] Since both teams' schedules were too full for a two-leg match, the Italian football federation suggested a one-off game at the neutral Olimpico; both clubs agreed.[49]
Pietro Mennea wins the 200-metre dash at the 1974 European Championships.
On 28 November 1973, before 22,000 spectators, Independiente won 1–0 with a goal by Ricardo Bochini.[50] In 1974, the stadium hosted the 11th European Athletics Championships. The event showcased two world-class Italian athletes: sprinter Pietro Mennea (winner of the 200 metres[51] and runner-up in the 100 metres[52] and the 4×100 relay)[53] and high-jumper Sara Simeoni, bronze medalist in the high jump at 1.89 metres.[53]
The Olimpico was chosen in 1975 for the 8th University Games,[54] originally awarded to Belgrade (which was unable to host the games because of financial issues in Yugoslavia in late 1974).[55] Since there was no time to organize a full multi-sport games, the Rome edition consisted only of track-and-field events. Pietro Mennea was again amongst the leading athletes, winning the 100[56] and 200 metres,[57] and Franco Fava won the 5000-[57] and 10,000-metre runs.[58]
The 1959 scoreboard atop the Southern Stand in April 1974
Giancarlo De Sisti celebrates after scoring the winning goal in the 1974–75 Roma v. Lazio derby
The 1980 edition of the European Championship was an eight-team tournament whose host country was chosen by UEFA before the qualifying round. Italy hosted the first edition of the renewed competition.[61][62] The Olimpico held the opening ceremony, which featured an exhibition of calcio storico fiorentino (a medieval form of association football played in Florence)[63] followed by the first game between European champions Czechoslovakia and West Germany; Germany won 1–0, with a goal by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.[64] Again Czechoslovakia featured in the stadium during the group stage, with a win 3–1 over Greece.[65] Italy drew 0–0 against Belgium, preventing the home side from reaching the final.[66] The fourth game at the Olimpico was the championship final on 22 June 1980, when Belgium faced West Germany. Germany won the match 2–1, with a double by Horst Hrubesch; the Belgian goal was scored by René Vandereycken.[67]
The 1980s were the last decade of the roofless Olimpico. It hosted the third IAAF World Cup in 1981 (an international track-and-field event with national and continental teams)[68] and the 1987 second World Championships in Athletics, when American sprinter Carl Lewis beat his 100-metre 9.93-second world record and Stefka Kostadinova set a record in the women's high jump with 2.09 metres (6ft 10in); the latter remains amongst the longest-lasting sports records.[69][70]
Mid-way between the athletics events was the 1984 European Cup final, well-attended since AS Roma was one of the contestants for the title; the other was Liverpool, the winners at the same venue in 1977. The game, played on 30 May 1984 before 69,000 spectators, was the first European Cup final decided by a penalty shootout. After extra time, the match was still level at 1–1 with goals by Phil Neal and Roberto Pruzzo.[71] Liverpool won the shootout 4–2 for their fourth European Cup.[71]
One week before the final, FIFA chose Italy to host the 14th World Cup in 1990. In the bid submitted by the Italian football federation to FIFA, Rome was proposed for the tournament's final.[72][73]
1990 World Cup renovation
In the five years after Italy was chosen to be the World Cup host, the future of Rome's stadiums sparked a mostly-political dispute. The three main proposals were the expansion of Stadio Flaminio,[13] a new stadium in south-western Rome near EUR,[13] or renovation of the Olimpico.[13] The Stadio Flaminio expansion was quickly dropped due to lack of space,[13] and a new stadium would have taken too long;[13] architects opposed hasty construction and poor urban planning.[74] The only feasible proposal was to renovate the Olimpico, and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) hired architects Vitellozzi (designer of the 1953 stadium) and Clerici and engineers Teresi and Michetti.[13] The plan, presented in early 1987, consisted of a covered stadium with a capacity of 85,825 via a 6-metre (20ft) rise of the Tevere and Monte Mario grandstands and rebuilding the Northern and Southern stands. The light towers would be replaced by a light plant integrated into the roof frame. The estimated cost of the renovation was ₤35–40billion (€17.5–20million).[75]
CONI appointed the joint venture CO.GE.FAR. as the general contractor ready to begin work. In November 1987, three Italian environmental organizations (Italia Nostra, Legambiente and WWF Italia) filed an appeal in Lazio's Administrative Regional Court, saying the planned 40-metre (130ft) roof pillars would cause landscape and environmental damage.[76] In January 1988 the Court upheld the appeal and ordered the works to stop.[77]
Aerial view of the roofed Olimpico
Fearing other court appeals, CONI stopped work on the Olimpico.[78] New legal issues slowed the work; the Southern Stand worksite was seized by the court, which suspected non-compliance with work-safety rules.[79] The Ministry of Culture demanded a new project which took into account issues raised by the environmental organizations. The architects lowered the pillars and created helical stairs inside each to reach the highest stands, and the appeal was rescinded.[80][13] Work resumed with a little over 18 months before the World Cup.
Work continued slowly over the following months, as SS Lazio and AS Roma were still playing there during the 1988–89 season. At the end of the season, both clubs moved for a year to neighbouring Stadio Flaminio. Their final match at the old stadium was the 30th match day derby, which ended goalless before 41,633 spectators; ticket revenue was about ₤1.15billion (about €590,000).[81][82]
The renovated stadium, completed in April 1990, seated 85,000 and was released to FIFA at the end of May (two weeks late[83] and ten days before the start of the World Cup). Little was left of the old Olimpico except a portion of the façade of the Tevere grandstand.[13] The northern and southern stands were rebuilt 9 metres (30ft) closer to the short sides of the pitch and the Monte Mario grandstand was extended, replacing the press centre built for the 1987 World Championships in Athletics.[13]
The roof consists of a 13-metre-high (43ft) outer steel ring which is 29 metres (95ft) above the ground on 12 steel pillars and four external concrete stair blocks which are also pillars; radial bearing and stabilizing cables hold an inner steel ring.[13][84] The roof itself is a Teflon and fiberglass membrane which is hung from the 88 steel radial cables linking the external and internal rings.[13][84] The roof, which cost approximately ₤160billion (about €80,000,000),[85] was designed by the Majowecki engineering firm in Bologna.[84]
A later analysis determined that the total cost for the Olimpico renovation was about ₤450billion (€225,000,000).[86] According to experts appointed by judges at Rome's Court of Appeals, the figure was tainted by possible irregularities in the tender; the contract was awarded to the provider with the highest bid.[87]
Italia '90 and post-World Cup
During the 1990 World Cup, the Olimpico hosted six games in the group and the knockout stages. Italy won three group-stage matches, against Austria,[88] the United States,[89] and Czechoslovakia.[90] The "Azzurri" then played at the Olimpico in the round of 16, defeating Uruguay 2–0[91] and Ireland in the quarter-final before losing to Argentina in the semi-final in Naples.[92]
In the 8 July 1990 final at the Olimpico, West Germany defeated Argentina with an Andreas Brehme penalty kick with six minutes remaining.[93] The Olimpico was the first venue to see a player sent off during a World Cup final; red cards were issued to Argentine players Pedro Monzón and Gustavo Dezotti.[94]
At the end of its first season at the renovated Olimpico, AS Roma reached the 1990–91 UEFA Cup final (an Italian derby against Inter). At the time, the UEFA Cup was the only European competition with a two-leg final. Inter won the first leg, 2–0, at the San Siro in Milan. AS Roma won 1–0 at the Olimpico before a crowd of 70,900, but Inter won the cup 2–1 on aggregate.[95] Five of the German players who had won the World Cup the year before on the same pitch played in the UEFA Cup final: Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthäus and Jürgen Klinsmann for Inter, and Thomas Berthold and Rudi Völler for AS Roma.[95]
In September 1995 the Olimpico hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the First Military World Games and the games' track-and-field events.[96] It hosted the Italian rugby union team later that year for the third time (and the first since 1986), against world champions South Africa. In addition to the 1954 European Cup final, Italy played at the Olimpico in 1986, when the team drew 15–15 against England XV in front of 40,000 spectators.[97] Although the Stadio Flaminio was their usual venue in Rome, Italy played at the Olimpico because the match was a fundraiser for children's aid organizations which wanted a larger stadium.[98] South Africa won their first match after their World Cup victory 40–21, after Italy led 21–17 with 15 minutes left.[99] Attendance was about 40,000, and ticket prices were between 5,000 and 30,000 lire (€2.5–15).[98]
Rome hosted the European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League) final for the third time several months later, with the Italian club Juventus FC facing the Dutch side AFC Ajax.[100] The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with goals by Fabrizio Ravanelli and Jari Litmanen, necessitating a tie-breaker from the penalty spot. Juventus won the shootout 4–2 (as Liverpool had in 1984) for their second European championship.[101]
In the new millennium, the issue of the stadium's ownership was resolved. The Olimpico had been owned since 1976 by the Ministry of Finance (later the Ministry of Economy and Finance), which established Coni Servizi (a government agency to manage public sports venues) in 2002.[102] Subsequently, the Ministry transferred to the newborn entity the ownership of the whole Foro Italico on 3 February 2004.[1][103] Coni Servizi, renamed Sport e Salute in 2019, is the owner of the stadium.[2]
In October 2006, Rome was chosen to host the 2009 Champions League final. Rome's fourth selection spurred CONI to speed up the Olimpico's planned maintenance and renovation, 16 years after the last project.[104]
Although the stadium's shape and structure were unaffected, changes were made to the Authority Room in the Monte Mario grandstand[105] and more-comfortable seats were installed: 48 centimetres (19in) wide in the Northern and Southern stands, 50 centimetres (20in) in the Tevere grandstand and 54 centimetres (21in) in the hospitality area of the Monte Mario grandstand). VIP areas were installed in the Monte Mario grandstand. The renovation reduced the Olimpico's capacity by about 5,000 seats. A 600-square-metre (6,500sqft) press room was built, and the locker-room area was doubled.[106] Two brand new scoreboards were also installed atop of The Northern- and Southern-stand scoreboards were replaced by digital, high-definition versions; the benches were moved slightly back from the pitch, and the plexiglas barriers between the stands and the pitch were partially removed. The Olimpico now had a capacity of 70,634, making it Italy's second-largest stadium (after the San Siro in Milan).[3]
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the European Championship, UEFA said that the 2020 edition would have no host country and the tournament would be played in 11 UEFA-member cities.[111] Rome hosted three group stage matches (including the opener) and a quarter-final game.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was postponed until June and July 2021.[112] The 11 June 2021 opening ceremony at the Olimpico was followed by a game between Italy and Turkey. The Azzurri won 3–0 before 16,000 spectators, a smaller crowd for public-health reasons.[113] After their first win, Italy defeated Switzerland 3–0[114] and Wales 1–0.[115] The fourth Olimpico match was the quarter-final between Ukraine and England; England won 4–0, with goals by Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire and a double by Harry Kane.[116]
Italian Athletics Federation president Primo Nebiolo created the Golden Gala, a recurring summer athletics event at the Olimpico, in 1980.[120] The event was held in the middle of a heated political debate at the international level, because several domestic Olympic boards were divided about whether to follow the U.S. Olympic Committee in their boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics because of Soviet involvement in the Afghan war[120] Aware of those political controversies, Nebiolo said that his event should not be seen as an "alternative Olympiad",[120] although it featured world-class athletes from both of the era's geopolitical blocks.
The first Golden Gala took place on 5 August 1980, a few days after the closing of the Soviet Olympics, and featured many first-class Italian athletes prevented from going to Moscow because of their status as enlisted in the armed forces; this included Mariano Scartezzini, a Guardia di Finanza constable who won the 3000-metre steeplechase and set an Italian record.[121] Amongst the civilian athletes who also competed in Moscow was Pietro Mennea, who won the 200-metre dash with a faster time than his gold-medal final in the Soviet Union few days before.[121] About 74,000 spectators attended the event, of whom 54,000 paid. The difference in attendance was due to the fact that several hours into the event, its organizers opened the gates of the Olimpico's two curved stands to those without tickets.[122]
The Golden Gala did not take place in 1981 because of the IAAF World Cup. It returned in 1982, and has been part of the international calendar ever since.[123] The event was not held at the Olimpico early in the stadium's renovation for the 1990 World Cup, and was held in Florence and Verona. The Golden Gala was renamed in 2013 for Pietro Mennea, who died in March of that year.[124] In addition to being a key Italian athletics event, the Golden Gala has been part of the Diamond League (the World Athletics world tour) since 2010.[125]
Six Nations Championship and rugby union
The Olimpico's frozen pitch before the 2012 Six Nations match against England
Italy played its Six Nations Championship home matches at Stadio Flaminio for 11 seasons after 2000, a 24,000-seat city-owned venue built for the football tournament of the 1960 Olympics across the Tiber a few hundred metres from the Olimpico. However, it did not meet Six Nations Rugby's stadium guidelines.[126] The Italian Rugby Federation first planned to expand Stadio Flaminio to 40,000 seats,[127][128] using the Olimpico in 2012 as temporary venue.[127][128]
The renovation never began, however; Pier Luigi Nervi's heirs received the Flaminio's legalintellectual property rights, giving them veto power over any changes.[129] The Italian Rugby Federation then decided to return the Flaminio's management rights to Roma Capitale and request permanent use of the Olimpico.[130][131][132]
The stadium first hosted the Six Nations Championship on 11 February 2012 during an unusual icy weekend, on a pitch frozen after snow fell on Rome the day before. England won, 19–15, after trailing for almost one hour.[133]
By the end of the 2023 Six Nations tournament, 39 test matches had been played by Italy in the venue since their first in 1954. In addition to the 30 in the 12 tournament seasons played so far, Italy played four matches at the Olimpico before their admission to the Six Nations and five more after 2000. Apart from the Six Nations sides, the most frequent guests at the Olimpico are New Zealand's All Blacks, whom have played four test matches there.[134]
With its roof, the Olimpico became a suitable venue for concerts. Its first performers were Miles Davis and Pat Metheny in July 1991, who played to a crowd estimated at 20,000.[135] The first Italian artist at the Olimpico was Zucchero Fornaciari in June 1993 during his l'Urlo tour, who played to an audience of 10,000.[136]
The record attendance for musical events is held by Claudio Baglioni during his Da me a te tour. On 6 June 1998, the first of Baglioni's two concerts in Rome sold 82,000 tickets;[6]8,000 people were also admitted free of charge.[137] The record was possible because CONI president Mario Pescante allowed Baglioni to install a 112-metre-long (367ft), 72-metre-wide (236ft) stage on the pitch, and CONI had planned to replace the turf soon after the concert.[6] The audience did not sit only in the southern stand, as usual, but throughout the stadium.[6][137]
The Olimpico's most-frequent performer is Italian singer-songwriter Vasco Rossi, with 23 concerts between 1991 and 2023.[138]Luciano Ligabue performed 13 times at the stadium between 1996 and 2023.[139]
The record number of concerts at the Olimpico by non-Italian acts was held in 2023 by the British group Depeche Mode, who performed there five times between 2006 and 2023; their most recent appearances were during their Global Spirit[140] and Memento Mori World Tours.[141] The Irish band U2 has played four concerts at the stadium since 2005, most recently as part of their 2017 Joshua Tree Tour.[142]David Bowie and Tina Turner performed at 1996 Rome's Live Rock Festival in the Olimpico's southern stand,[143] and R.E.M. appeared during the band's 2005 Around the Sun Tour.[144]
The table below reports the average season attendance at league matches held at the Stadio Olimpico for Lazio and Roma.[145] The stadium's attendance record is 78,886, set on 12 May 1974 for the 29th matchday of the 1973–74 Serie A between Lazio and Foggia.[4] The home side won 1-0 for their first scudetto, one matchday in advance.[146] SS Lazio's season-ticket holders for that season were 18,392;[4] paying spectators for that matchday numbered 60,494,[4][146] for a total attendance of 78,886.[4]
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The Derby della Capitale, also known as Derby Capitolino and Derby del Cupolone, as well as The Rome Derby in English and Derby di Roma in Italian, is the football local derby in Rome, Italy, between Lazio and Roma. It is considered to be one of the fiercest intra-city derbies in the country, along with the other major local derbies, Derby della Madonnina and Derby della Mole, and one of the greatest and most hotly contested derbies in Europe.
The 1992–93 Coppa Italia, the 46th Coppa Italia was an Italian Football Federation domestic cup competition won by Torino.
The 1989–90 Coppa Italia was the 43rd edition of the Coppa Italia, a domestic cup competition held by the Italian Football Federation. It was won by Juventus, who defeated Milan in the final.
Foro Italico is a sports complex in Rome, Italy, on the slopes of Monte Mario. It was built between 1928 and 1938 as the Foro Mussolini under the design of Enrico Del Debbio and, later, Luigi Moretti. Inspired by the Roman forums of the imperial age, its design is lauded as a preeminent example of Italian fascist architecture instituted by Mussolini. The purpose of the prestigious project was to get the Olympic Games of 1940 to be organised by fascist Italy and held in Rome.
The 1961 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final was an association football match played over two legs between Roma of Italy and Birmingham City of England. The first leg was played in Birmingham on 27 September 1961, while the second leg was played on 11 October in Rome. It was the final of the third edition of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, an invitational competition open to teams representing host cities of industrial trade fairs. Birmingham had lost to Barcelona in the previous final; Roma were appearing for the first time.
The 2013 Coppa Italia Final was the final match of the 2012–13 Coppa Italia, the 66th season of the top cup competition in Italian football. The match was played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome between Lazio and Roma on Sunday, 26 May 2013 at 18:00 CET.
The Rome bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Summer Paralympics was an attempt to bring the 2024 Summer Olympics to the city of Rome. On 21 September 2016, Rome withdrew its bid for the Games.
The men's 200 metres event at the 1975 Summer Universiade was held at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 20 and 21 September.
The men's 100 metres event at the 1975 Summer Universiade was held at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 18 and 19 September.
1 2 3 "Impianti di serie A – stagione 2017/2018"[Serie A venues season 2017/2018](PDF) (in Italian). Rome: Osservatorio Nazionale sulle Manifestazioni Sportive del Ministero dell'Interno. Archived from the original(PDF) on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
↑ Puccini, Gianni (17 May 1953). "In 100.000 allo Stadio Olimpico"[100,000 at the Olympic Stadium](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.4. Archived(PDF) from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
↑ Angeli, Diego (23 October 1932). "Dove sorge il Foro Mussolini"[Where does the Foro Mussolini stands]. La Stampa. Turin. p.3. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
1 2 3 "Lo Stadio dei Cipressi"[The Stadium of Cypresses]. Stampa Sera (in Italian). Turin. 27 October 1932. p.3. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
↑ "Regio decreto-legge 27 ottobre 1937-XV, n. 1839. Istituzione della Gioventù italiana del Littorio"[Royal decree of 27 October 1937: Establishment of the Italian Youth of the Lictor]. Official Gazette of the Kingdom of Italy (262). Rome: Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia: 4058. 12 November 1937. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024. Le istituzioni, le scuole, le accademie, i collegi appartenenti all'Opera nazionale Balilla, passano, nella attuale situazione di fatto e di diritto, alla Gioventù italiana del Littorio [All the institutions, schools, academies, colleges owned by Opera Nazionale Balilla are taken over, in the state as they are, by the Italian Youth of the Lictor]
↑ "La fervida attesa di Roma"[The ardent waiting of Rome]. La Stampa (in Italian). Turin. 3 May 1938. p.2. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
1 2 "Stadio dei Centomila costruito a rate"[Stadio dei Centomila built in small steps]. Stampa Sera (in Italian). Turin. 14 October 1949. p.4. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
↑ Morandi, Arrigo (20 July 1951). "Governo, scuola, C.O.N.I e sport"[Government, school, CONI and sports](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.4. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
↑ Morandi, Arrigo (14 September 1951). "I beni ex-GIL"[The ex-GIL estate](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
↑ Acronym of the statutory corporationEnte Nazionale Assistenza Lavoratori, Italian for National Board for Workers' Welfare.
↑ Puccini, Gianni (17 May 1953). "In 100.000 allo Stadio Olimpico"[100,000 at the Olympic Stadium](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.4. Archived(PDF) from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
↑ Signori, Giuseppe (18 May 1953). "Ungheria – Italia 3–0"[Hungary 3:0 Italy](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.3. Archived(PDF) from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
↑ Camoriano, Attilio (18 May 1953). "Minardi vince la Napoli-Roma"[Minardi wins the Naples – Rome stage](PDF). l'Unità. Rome. p.6. Archived(PDF) from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
↑ "Roma – Spal 0–0". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). Rome. 1 June 1953. p.1. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
↑ "Cronache dello sport"[Sports reports]. La Stampa (in Italian). Turin. 25 April 1954. p.4. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
↑ "Deciso stamane: Olimpiadi a Roma"[Decided this morning: the Olympics to Rome]. Stampa Sera (in Italian). Turin. 16 June 1955. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
↑ Marchesi, Alberto (19 October 1959). "Un derby sdrammatizzato dal tabellone luminoso" [A derby lightened up by the new scoreboard]. Corriere dello Sport. Rome. p.2.
↑ "Aperti i giochi olimpici"[The Olympic Games have been opened](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. 26 August 1960. p.1. Archived(PDF) from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
↑ "Le medaglie di ieri: sei USA e tre URSS"[Yesterday's medals: six for the USA and three for the USSR](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. 3 September 1960. pp.1–2. Archived(PDF) from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
↑ Gherardi, Remo (6 September 1960). "Rudolph: splendido bis nei 200 m"[Rudolph wonderfully repeats herself on the 200 metres](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
1 2 ""Mondiale" delle ragazze USA: 44"4"[World record of the USA girls: 44"4](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. 8 September 1960. p.6. Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
↑ "Juventus, sì all'Independiente"[Juventu say "yes" to Independiente]. Stampa Sera. Turin. 31 October 1973. p.12. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
↑ Pivetta, Oreste (7 September 1974). "Vince Mennea, festa all'Olimpico"[Mennea wins, the Olympic stadium celebrates](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.12. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
↑ Pivetta, Oreste (4 September 1974). "Borzov "brucia" Mennea e Bieler nei 100"[Borzov freezes Mennea and Bieler in the 100 metres](PDF) (in Italian). Rome. p.12. Archived(PDF) from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
1 2 Pivetta, Oreste (9 September 1974). "10 ori alla Germania Democratica!"[10 gold medals to the DDR!](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.6. Archived(PDF) from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
↑ "I Giochi mondiali di atletica a Roma"[The athletics University Games to Rome](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. 26 February 1975. p.10. Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Musumeci, Remo (20 September 1975). "Mennea sfreccia nei 100 metri"[Mennea sprints in the 100 metres](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.12. Archived(PDF) from the original on 28 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Musumeci, Remo (19 September 1975). "A Fava i 10.000 m. Bottiglieri-record"[Fava wins the 10,000 metres. Bottiglieri marks a record](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.10. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Lacey, David (25 May 1977). "Up, up and away". The Guardian. London. p.24.
↑ "No breathing space for the new England manager". The Guardian. London. 14 November 1977. p.18.
↑ Ciullini, Loris (12 June 1980). "Menicucci è tornato all'Olimpico"[Menicucci back to the Olympic Stadium](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.19. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Antognoli, Giuliano (12 June 1980). "RFT, primo passo verso il titolo?"[FRG, first step to the title?](PDF). l'Unità. Rome. p.19. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Ciullini, Loris (15 June 1980). "La Cecoslovacchia punta alla "piccola" finale"[Czechoslovakia eyes the bronze final](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.15. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
↑ Panzera, Bruno (19 June 1980). "Azzurri bocciati, Belgio in finale"[Azzurri rejected. Belgium reaches the final](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. Archived(PDF) from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
↑ Antognoli, Giuliano (23 June 1980). "Il Belgio non blocca la marcia della RFT"[Belgium cannot stop FRG's march](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.9. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Musumeci, Remo (4 September 1981). ""Coppa" tutta da vivere"[A must-see Cup](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.10. Archived(PDF) from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Pergolini, Ronaldo (31 August 1987). "Olimpico, nasce la fantatletica"[Olimpico, the athletics fiction is born](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.9. Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
1 2 Lacey, David (31 May 1984). "Kennedy exacts full penalty". The Guardian. London. p.24.
↑ Perucca, Bruno (20 May 1984). "L'Italia soffia il Mundial all'URSS"[Italy snatch World Cup to U.S.S.R.]. La Stampa (in Italian). Torino. p.26. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
↑ "Italy to host World Cup". The Guardian. London. 21 May 1984. p.24.
↑ "Ancora un ricorso al TAR"[A new appeal to the Administrative Court](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. 22 November 1987. p.14. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Pergolini, Ronaldo (4 February 1988). "E il Coni ora blocca tutti i lavori dell'Olimpico"[And now CONI stops any works in the Olimpico](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.26. Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Ripert, Rossella (7 September 1988). ""Il Mundial non vale la vita""[The World Cup is not worth one's life](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. Archived(PDF) from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ "Tutto ok per lo stadio. Parola del CONI"[Everything is ok for the stadium, CONI guarantees](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. 28 October 1988. p.20. Archived(PDF) from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ "Roma – Lazio, un incasso quasi record"[Roma v Lazio, almost record revenue]. La Stampa (in Italian). Turin. 29 May 1989. p.21. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Pallavicini, Renato (30 May 1990). "Una "corona" piena di spine"[A crown plenty of thorns](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.27. Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2003.
1 2 3 Finzi, Rita; Majowiecki, Massimo (August 1990). "Stadio Olimpico 90: una copertura sospesa"[Stadio Olimpico 90: A Floating Roof](PDF). Acciaio (in Italian): 311–14. Archived from the original(PDF) on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
↑ Pergolini, Ronaldo (10 June 1990). "Ci pensa Totò"[Totò fixes it](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.23. Archived(PDF) from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
↑ Pergolini, Ronaldo (15 June 1990). "Giannini, poi il buio"[Giannini, then the dark](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.27. Archived(PDF) from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
↑ Ormezzano, Gianpaolo (20 June 1990). "L'Italia vince e diverte"[Italy win and entertain]. La Stampa (in Italian). Turin. p.1. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
↑ Pergolini, Ronaldo (26 June 1990). "Un Serena per amico"[A Serena as friend](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.25. Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
↑ Pergolini, Ronaldo (1 July 1990). "Schillaci ci prende gusto"[Schillaci is enjoying it](PDF). Rome. p.23. Archived(PDF) from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
↑ Pergolini, Ronaldo (9 July 1990). "Brutta, sporca e cattiva"[Ugly, dirty and bad](PDF). l'Unità. Rome. Archived(PDF) from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
1 2 Gandolfi, Giorgio (24 May 1991). "Trap, coppa dell'addio"[Trap, farewell Cup]. La Stampa. Turin. p.29. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
↑ Ventimiglia, Marco (31 August 1995). "Giochi militari a Roma. Seimila atleti in marcia"[Military Games in Rome, 6,000 athletes moving on](PDF) (in Italian). Rome. p.34. Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
1 2 Conti, Antonio (12 November 1995). "Italia – Sudafrica, polemica per i biglietti omaggio"[Italy v South Africa, controversy over the free tickets]. La Stampa (in Italian). Turin. p.35. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
↑ Sannucci, Corrado (13 November 1995). "Cinque minuti in paradiso"[Five minutes in heaven]. la Repubblica (in Italian). Rome. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
↑ Ansaldo, Marco (23 May 1996). "Mai vittoria così di rigore". La Stampa. Turin. p.50. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
↑ Pinci, Matteo; Vanni, Franco (29 March 2021). "La Coppa Italia a Reggio Emilia: un trasloco da un milione di euro"[Coppa Italia to Reggio Emilia: a one-million worth relocation]. la Repubblica (in Italian). Rome. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024. La finale di Coppa Italia non si disputerà a Roma. Per la prima volta dal 2008, quando si tornò a giocarla in gara unica, l'ultimo atto della coppa nazionale traslocherà [Coppa Italia final will not be held in Rome. For the first time since 2008 - that is, since the final is played again as a single match - the final act of the tournament is going to relocate]
1 2 Musumeci, Remo (6 August 1980). "Mennea meglio che a Mosca: 20"01"[Mennea better than in Moscow: 20"01](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
↑ Musumeci, Remo (7 August 1980). "Quei quattro formidabili record"[Those four astonishing records](PDF). l'Unità. Rome. p.13. Archived(PDF) from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
↑ Pacitti, Paolo; Volpe, Francesco (2022). "Le città azzurre (The Azzurri's cities)". Rugby 2023 (in Italian). Rome: Zesi. pp.346–47.
↑ Gigli, Luca (25 July 1991). "Elettrico jazz all'Olimpico con Davis e Pat Metheny"[Electric jazz at the Olimpico with Davis and Metheny](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.21. Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
↑ Solaro, Alba (23 June 1993). "Ma la stagione rock non "ingrana""[But the rock season struggles to start](PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). Rome. p.20. Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
1 2 Luzzatto Fegiz, Mario (21 May 2015). "Tutto Baglioni in concerto"[All Baglioni in concert]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Milan. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
↑ Moretti, Carlo (26 June 2017). "Depeche Mode, trionfo all'Olimpico di Roma"[Depeche Mode triumph at the Olimpico]. la Repubblica (in Italian). Rome. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
↑ "David Bowie arriva a Roma"[David Bowie comes to Rome]. La Stampa (in Italian). Turin. 9 July 1996. p.20. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
"Nuovo Stadio Olimpico". Censimento delle architetture italiane dal 1945 ad oggi[Census of the Italian architectures from 1945 to present] (in Italian). Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea del Ministero della Cultura. 2023.
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