Swiss Super League football team FC Lugano has reached an agreement for local energy company AIL to sponsor its new stadium, which is due to open in 2026.
AIL (Aziende Industriali di Lugano) already serves as the club’s shirt sponsor and the stadium naming-rights deal will last for at least five years, from July 1, 2025. The deal, which includes the option for a further five years, has been struck following 15 months of negotiations.
The deal was signed after work on the new 10,000-seat stadium commenced on July 3. As well as the stadium, the project will include the development of a 4,000-capacity arena.
The stadium will replace the Stadio di Cornaredo, which has served as FC Lugano’s home since 1951.
Andrea Prati, chief executive of AIL, said: “We are particularly happy to be able to announce this collaboration which binds us closely both with FC Lugano and with the Lugano Sports and Events Centre, in which we will be present with important investments, both in the thermal sector – for the production and distribution of heat – and in the electrical sector, in particular with the construction of a large photovoltaic system to cover part of the structure’s needs.”
The project is being delivered by the Polo Sportivo e degli eventi (PSE) venture. The citizens of Lugano voted in favour of PSE in November 2021 after a fiercely contested referendum process on the matter came to a head.
The City of Lugano has teamed up with Swiss real estate group HRS on the project, which will also include four residential buildings and two towers for the city administration and municipal companies in the Cornaredo district.
The venture has been projected to cost CHF374m (£337m/€389m/$414m). The arena will serve as the home of ice hockey team HC Lugano, which currently plays at the Cornèr Arena.
