Just a few weeks before the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, massive construction delays in the main ice hockey arena are causing those responsible great concern. IIHF President Luc Tardif was still cautiously optimistic, but acknowledged that parts of the facility may not be fully completed when the women’s Olympic tournament begins on February 5.
According to Tardif, at least the ice surface, training facilities and cabins should be ready for use in time. However, the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (“Hockey 1”) will have to make do with a significantly reduced capacity: instead of the originally planned number of spectators, there will only be room for around 11,800 fans. Despite the restrictions, the IIHF President expects an atmospheric backdrop.
The situation is made even more explosive by the return of NHL players to the Olympic Games after an eight-year break. The league had already made it clear that it would withdraw its professionals if there were safety concerns. Another cause for dissatisfaction is that the ice surfaces do not meet NHL standard dimensions, even if they are within the IIHF specifications.
This week, the arena will be inspected at a test event by representatives of the IIHF, the NHL and the players’ union NHLPA. Despite all the challenges, the men’s tournament is scheduled to start on February 11th, six days after the start of the women’s tournament. Whether the organizers can close all open construction sites in time will be decided in the coming days.
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