Arena Olímpica Delays: NHL Could Play on Untested Ice

Delays in the Construction of the Hockey Arena for the 2026 Winter Olympics

The preparation for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics faces significant challenges. The construction of the main ice hockey stadium, the Santagiulia Arena, is in a critical situation. Local organizers reported that the test event scheduled for December was moved to a smaller arena, with no new date set for the test at the Santagiulia Arena. This raises the possibility that no matches will be held in the main arena until the start of the women’s preliminary competition on February 5, one day before the opening ceremony.

“It’s going to be very tight at the beginning of the Games, the schedule is very packed, but we knew it,” commented Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Milan-Cortina local organizing committee.

Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Milan-Cortina local organizing committee

The original test event, which was to evaluate the ice at Santagiulia, was part of the under-20 world championship, which will be held at the Rho Fiera hockey venue, inside a convention center on the outskirts of Milan. Traditionally, new Olympic venues are tested at least a year before the medal events. In the case of a large hockey arena, this involves evaluating not only the quality of the ice, but also services such as food stalls and restrooms.

The Santagiulia, built by a private company, is intended to be the largest indoor arena in Italy. After the Games, it is considered as a possible venue for the ATP Finals tennis. Despite the delays, the sale of high-priced tickets for the events at the Santagiulia is already underway. Seats for the men’s gold medal match on February 22, the last day of the Games, reach 1,400 euros (more than $1,600). This price exceeds that of any other sporting event at the Milan-Cortina Games, surpassed only by the opening and closing ceremonies. The return of NHL players to the Olympics was announced in February, which will allow the world’s most important hockey league to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi. The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled from February 11 to 22. The women’s tournament will take place from February 5 to 19.