De Laurentiis: ‘Clubs are puppets of UEFA and FIFA, who get rich off us’

De Laurentiis: ‘Clubs are puppets of UEFA and FIFA, who get rich off us’ Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis outlines his plans for a 70,000-seater stadium, but also warns football clubs are ‘all puppets at the service of UEFA and FIFA, who get rich off us.’ The patron was speaking at the presentation of new coach Max Allegri at the historic Teatro San Carlo today. Amongst other things, he was asked about the plans to construct a new stadium away from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. “We are working on a new stadium with 70,000 seats and 120 sky boxes,” he revealed. The areas analysed include the former Q8 refinery in San Giovanni a Teduccio, but this clashes with the local council’s attempts to instead restructure the Stadio Maradona. De Laurentiis hits out at football structure NAPLES, ITALY – MAY 26: Aurelio De Laurentiis, President of SSC Napoli, celebrates the victory of Serie A TIM during the SSC Napoli Trophy Parade on May 26, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) De Laurentiis has long been critical of the way the financial side of football is run, and aims to bring some of his experience as a Hollywood movie producer to this world. “There is not a big gap in football terms between Serie A and other leagues, but rather one of legislation from one country to the next,” he added. “We continue working within a football world that is not run by us. We clubs ought to be the ones in charge, but instead we are run by institutions who make themselves rich off our backs, and the same goes for many other leagues. NAPLES, ITALY – DECEMBER 12: Aurelio De Laurentiis SSC Napoli President during the UEFA Champions League match between SCC Napoli and SC Braga at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on December 12, 2023 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) “In Italy, just as in England, there are some clubs that are of a certain standing, yet if you look at their balance sheets, they too end up running at a loss, even with three or four times our revenue. “That means something in football does not work for a whole series of reasons.” De Laurentiis has also been bitterly critical of the higher institutions of the sport, and particularly the rapport between clubs and international football. “In Europe we are all puppets at the service of UEFA and FIFA, who effectively get rich off us. It’s not even possible to get a good look at their finances to study them.”