Consider the notion of precarious footing. As it stands, solid ice is nonexistent.
With athletes from the National Hockey League gearing up to participate in the Olympic Games for the first time in over a decade, the central ice rink for the Milan-Cortina competition is nearing completion with exceptional urgency.
Local authorities communicated to The Associated Press on Wednesday that the primary preparatory match for the 16,000-capacity Santagiulia stadium, initially slated for December, has been relocated to a smaller venue — and that a replacement preparatory match has yet to be arranged.
This development introduces the possibility that the main stadium might remain unused until the commencement of the women’s preliminary round at the Olympics on February 5, occurring the day before the inaugural ceremony.
“The period preceding the Games is anticipated to be critically short, with timelines being exceedingly tight. However, this was a known factor,” Andrea Varnier, the CEO of the Milan-Cortina local organizing committee, stated not long ago.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman redirected inquiries about the construction timeline to the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation, following the league’s board of governors assembly on Wednesday.
“For the preceding two years, we’ve voiced concerns about the advancement of the arena — encompassing both, yet predominantly the main one — but the responsibility lies with the IOC,” Bettman articulated. “We participate as invitees, yet they are cognizant of our apprehensions, and we anticipate they will uphold their commitments to provide a venue that is, from a competitive perspective, exemplary.”
Bettman emphasized that the event does not originate from his league, assuring that any concerns will be relayed to the Players’ Association if necessary.
“Our capacity is limited in terms of actions we can undertake, requests we can lodge, and demands we can make. Should matters escalate to a specific juncture, we will address them accordingly,” Bettman noted. “Nevertheless, I refrain from speculation, as we have consistently received reassurances from the IOC and the IIHF regarding the satisfactory completion.”
Concession Stands and Restrooms Await Testing
The event intended to evaluate the Santagiulia ice conditions was integrated into the under-20 world championship, initially scheduled from December 8-14. This event has been reassigned to the Rho Fiera hockey facility, currently being established within a sizable convention center on the outskirts of Milan, which will accommodate supplementary games during the Olympic events.
Typically, novel Olympic locales undergo evaluation at least a year prior to hosting medal events. For an extensive hockey arena, the evaluation extends beyond the ice, ensuring the playing surface’s readiness and safety. It encompasses the assessment of concession stands, lavatories, and all other amenities within a brand-new, modern stadium.
The Santagiulia venue, currently under construction by a private entity, is projected to become Italy’s premier indoor arena. Post-Olympics, it is being considered as a potential future venue for the ATP Finals tennis tournament.
Despite the setbacks and uncertainties, premium-priced tickets for events at the Santagiulia arena are already available for purchase. Seating for the men’s gold medal match on February 22 — the culmination of the Games — is priced as high as 1,400 euros (exceeding $1,600). This exceeds the cost for any other sports event at the Milan-Cortina Games, with only tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies priced higher.
The reinstatement of NHL players at the Olympics was declared the previous February, marking the return of the world’s foremost hockey league players to the Winter Games since 2014 in Sochi.
The Canadian women’s team will initiate their gold medal defense on February 5 against Finland.
The Canadian men’s team will commence their journey on February 12 against the Czech Republic. In 2014, Canada secured gold by defeating Sweden.
Canada is scheduled to face Switzerland on February 13, concluding the group stage on February 15 against France at the Santagiulia arena.
Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brayden Point and Sam Reinhart will all represent Canada at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
The Canadian women’s team will compete against the Swiss on February 7 and the Czechs on February 9 at the 5,700-seat Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, before concluding Group A against their primary rival, the U.S., on February 10 at the Santagiulia Arena.
Canada triumphed over the United States with a score of 3-2 to secure the gold medal in Beijing in 2022.
The women’s quarterfinals, scheduled for February 13-14 in Milan, will be succeeded by the semifinals on February 16 and the medal matches on February 19.
The men’s playoff qualification round is slated for February 17, succeeded by the quarterfinals on February 18, the semifinals on February 20, the bronze-medal game on February 21, and the gold-medal game on February 22.
Canadian games will be broadcast during late morning or early afternoon Eastern Time in Canada due to a six-hour time disparity.
The IIHF disclosed the schedules a day following the revelation by the twelve participating nations in the men’s tournament of the initial six players designated to their respective 25-man rosters.
