A new chapter begins for Rome’s Foro Italico

The Foro Italico in Rome is preparing to change its face, and this time it is not just a simple facelift, but a structural transformation set to deeply impact the sporting and urban profile of the Italian capital. The Central Tennis Court, the beating heart of the Italian Open, will become a contemporary arena with a retractable roof, capable of operating twelve months a year and no longer only during the two weeks of the major clay-court tournament.

In recent days, the Capitoline Assembly, namely the City Council of Rome, has definitively approved the architectural and functional redevelopment project for the so-called Foro Italico’s “Centrale”, concluding the planning process launched by Sport e Salute together with the Ministry of Culture, the Lazio Region, CONI, and the Municipality of Rome.

The project was recently presented at the Roma Capitale stand at MIPIM, the Marché international des professionnels de l'immobilier, held from March 9 to 13 in Cannes. The renderings depict a completely reimagined facility: a retractable roof, increased seating capacity, new hospitality spaces, commercial areas, and services integrated into a sports district spanning over twenty hectares.

A new 12,500-seat arena at the Foro Italico

The most immediate figure concerns capacity: thanks to the addition of new seating rows and integrated commentary positions, the new Centrale will be able to host up to 12,500 spectators – about two thousand more than the original layout—with the capacity set to increase further for non-sporting events. A number that places it among Europe’s major arenas and meets increasingly stringent international standards.

This is accompanied by a significant structural intervention: a total roof coverage of 6,500 sq. m fixed and 1,700 sq. m retractable is planned, designed to ensure year-round use of the facility. Additionally, four panoramic terraces overlooking the Tiber and the park will be created over an area of 2,000 sq. m, helping redefine the overall spectator experience.

The total estimated investment is around €60 million. Construction will begin immediately after the 2026 edition of the Italian Open – scheduled from April 28 to May 17 – and, according to the updated timeline, should be completed by summer 2027, accelerating earlier projections that pointed to the end of that year.

The stated goal is to make the venue operational for around 150 days per year, hosting events from at least 18 different sports disciplines, as well as concerts and shows. The Foro Italico will no longer be an “intermittent” venue, but a permanent, vibrant, and productive infrastructure, featuring panoramic lounges, offices, fan villages, and logistical spaces on par with Europe’s major capitals. From an administrative standpoint, a key development was the resolution of legal issues related to the usufruct of the area, now extended until 2100, ensuring long-term stability and sustainability for the project.

Behind this transformation lies a complex design process. The redevelopment of the Central Court originated within a two-phase international design competition promoted by Sport e Salute, aimed at combining technological innovation with respect for the architectural identity of the Foro Italico complex. The intervention includes the introduction of a new retractable roof – allowing the arena to function in both indoor and outdoor configurations – architectural restyling of the façades in line with the historical context, and compliance with ATP and WTA standards.

Functional flexibility and environmental sustainability

The future retractable roof, consisting of an oval steel structure supported by four main pillars and a perimeter colonnade, has been designed in compliance with current height limits, integrating with existing volumes and the urban grid that characterizes the area. It is not an alien object, but rather a harmonious structure designed to interact with the monumental context and the rationalist layout of the sports complex. The central opening above the court is covered by sliding panels running on integrated tracks, allowing multiple configurations to ensure maximum functional flexibility and enabling year-round use of the facility.

Great attention has been paid to environmental sustainability and structural efficiency: essential geometries to contain costs, reduced interference with existing structures, and technological solutions focused on renewable energy use, energy savings, and climate control. The full enclosure will make it possible to manage temperature and indoor comfort, transforming the Centrale into a fully usable arena in every season.

Accessibility has also been rethought from an urban perspective: the venue will be permeable on multiple sides, connected to pedestrian pathways, and integrated into a system that goes beyond the dimension of a single stadium to become an advanced sports district. Balancing preservation and innovation is the true challenge of the project: safeguarding the memory of a symbolic venue in Italian sport while projecting it into a new era. The retractable roof is not just a technical feature, but a symbol of a broader transformation – one that aims to turn a historic venue into one of Europe’s leading multifunctional arenas.

From temple of Italian sport to home of elite basketball

The real turning point, however, lies in the future vocation of the venue. The roof is not only meant to protect tennis from the rain: it is also the key to transforming the Centrale into a permanent home for top-level basketball. In recent months, federation president Gianni Petrucci had already identified the Foro Italico as a potential ideal venue for a new-generation continental competition. This hypothesis has been reinforced by discussions with Andreas Zagklis and the increasingly concrete moves of the NBA in Europe. The timeline of the works – summer 2027 – aligns with the launch of NBA Europe, a project the U.S. league is developing in synergy with FIBA and aiming to start in October of the same year.

In recent months, the Roman scenario has taken on much more concrete contours than in the past. After Virtus Roma withdrew from Serie A in December 2020, the capital has been absent from top-tier basketball. But now, a return is no longer just a suggestion.

An international consortium led by Donnie Nelson is reportedly in talks with basketball authorities, with a preliminary agreement to acquire the sporting title of Vanoli Cremona, currently in the top division. Nelson, a prominent figure in American basketball, is said to have involved major names such as Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Dončić, along with professionals with extensive international experience. The operational group also includes Rimantas Kaukenas, a deep connoisseur of Italian basketball, acting as a local representative.

From a logistical standpoint, an agreement with Eur Spa would allow the use of the PalaEur starting next season, pending completion of the Foro Italico works. A temporary solution, with the stated goal of moving into the new Centrale as soon as it is ready. The NBA Europe project envisions a 16-team league, with 12 permanent licenses and four rotating spots. Strategically, Italy is expected to be represented by Milan and Rome. The Roman bid remains competitive, although the race for investors and licenses is still open and playing out on an international scale.

A new dimension for Rome

The Centrale’s roof is not just an architectural intervention: it is a statement of ambition. It means placing Rome within a global circuit of events, turning the Foro Italico into a multifunctional hub capable of engaging with Europe’s major arenas and attracting capital, tourism, and visibility. If the timeline is respected, summer 2027 could mark a turning point: a renewed venue, a city ready to embrace top-level basketball again, and an international project that sees the capital as a strategic market.

The Foro Italico, born as a temple of Italian sport, is thus positioning itself as a modern and versatile platform. No longer just the stage for clay-court finals, but a covered arena capable of hosting the future. And Rome, after years of waiting, begins to glimpse a seat once again at the table of the greats.

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