FC Sion take rollercoaster stadium plan into approval process

FC Sion have moved their proposed CHF450m Matterhorn Coliseum into preliminary review, taking a further step towards a stadium development intended to combine matchday income with a substantial events and leisure business.The Swiss Super League club have submitted their Sion 2030 project to the Valais cantonal authorities and the City of Sion, which will assess technical requirements and potential construction obstacles before the plans are finalised.FC Sion said in their announcement, translated from German: “Their opinions and comments are necessary to develop and complete the project ahead of the public consultation planned for mid-2027.”The proposed venue would accommodate 21,000 spectators for football and up to 32,500 for concerts, with the club targeting more than 100 events annually alongside approximately 25 football matches.Plans include a rollercoaster-style monorail outside the stadium, operating beyond matchdays and offering visitors views of the venue and surrounding Alps, alongside a hotel and leisure facilities intended to attract customers throughout the year.The stadium would also provide 72 private boxes and 2,825 VIP seats, giving Sion a larger hospitality operation, while the wider development would include 80 hotel rooms and 1,800 parking spaces.A retractable roof is designed to withstand the area's alpine winds and snowfall, supporting ambitions to accommodate indoor sports and entertainment as well as football fixtures.Sion want the venue to host boxing, mixed martial arts, American football, tennis, basketball and ice hockey, creating opportunities to earn revenue from a broader calendar than their domestic football commitments alone.The club have published a brochure and presentation video outlining the development, which has also been presented to Valais State Councillor Stéphane Ganzer and Sion Mayor Philippe Varone, both involved during its preparation.The submission follows a decision reached with local authorities last year that constructing a new stadium offered a better route than renovating Stade de Tourbillon, following an assessment process lasting 18 months.Sion initially announced the project in early 2024 before releasing revised designs that June, while their existing ground opened in 1968, underwent redevelopment in 1986 and hosted matches at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025.The next stage will be to incorporate the authorities’ technical findings into the proposal before the planned public consultation in mid-2027, with construction dependent on the subsequent approval process.