The countdown to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics is ticking faster than ever, and all eyes are on the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, a gleaming new 16,000-seat venue rising on the outskirts of Milan. But as the days slip by, the question on everyone’s mind is: Will the main stage for Olympic ice hockey be ready in time?
With construction crews working around the clock and officials providing daily updates, the pressure is mounting. There’s no backup plan—no alternative stadium waiting in the wings if Santagiulia isn’t ready. "There is no Plan B," Andrea Francisi, the chief Games operations officer for Milan-Cortina, told The Associated Press. "So necessarily we have to be able to organize the competition in an impeccable manner at Santagiulia."
This isn’t just any Olympic hockey tournament. The 2026 Games mark the long-anticipated return of NHL players to the Olympic stage, a first in over a decade. The stakes are sky-high, and the world’s best are preparing to skate for gold. But the venue’s readiness is still up in the air, with construction delays pushing the timeline right down to the wire.
The first scheduled Olympic hockey game at Santagiulia is set for February 5, 2025—a women’s preliminary round clash between host nation Italy and France. That’s just one day before the grand opening ceremony. Meanwhile, defending champion Canada will face Finland on the same day, but their match will be held at the secondary Rho Ice Hockey Arena, a repurposed pavilion in the Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre—an important safety net for the tournament’s early matches.
Usually, Olympic venues are put through their paces at least a year before they host medal events. It’s not just about the ice—though that’s obviously crucial. Organizers need to test everything: concession stands, bathrooms, seating, security, and the all-important fan experience. But here in Milan, the timeline has been compressed. A key test event at Santagiulia had to be moved, and the next opportunity to trial the arena isn’t until January 9-11, 2025—less than a month before the Olympic puck drops for real.
Francisi didn’t sugarcoat the situation. "There is no precise date" for when the venue will officially be handed over to local organizers, he admitted. Still, he remains upbeat. "There are daily updates in the sense that our team is there working every day," Francisi said. "The companies which are involved with the building of the facility have sped up their work significantly. We’re monitoring all that daily together with them, there’s great collaboration between us, we’re creating a coordinated plan between their work and our preparations and for the moment we’re healthily optimistic, but 100% we’ll do it."
Optimism is one thing, but Olympic deadlines are unforgiving. The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to run from February 11 to February 22, 2025, while the women’s tournament kicks off with that high-profile Italy-France matchup on February 5 and runs through February 19. That leaves precious little wiggle room for delays or last-minute fixes.
So why is this arena so important? For starters, the return of NHL players has injected a fresh surge of excitement into the Olympic hockey scene. Fans, athletes, and organizers alike are eager to see the best of the best go head-to-head under the Olympic rings. The Santagiulia Arena, with its state-of-the-art design and massive seating capacity, was envisioned as the perfect stage for these epic showdowns. But as construction lags, the pressure is mounting to deliver on that promise.
The secondary Rho Ice Hockey Arena offers some relief, at least for the tournament’s opening days. Defending champion Canada and perennial powerhouse Finland will square off there on February 5, ensuring that the Games can get underway even if Santagiulia isn’t quite ready. But make no mistake: the main event is meant for Santagiulia, and everyone involved is pushing hard to make sure it happens.
Building an Olympic-caliber hockey arena is no small feat. Beyond the ice itself—meticulously chilled and maintained to meet the exacting standards of world-class athletes—there’s a laundry list of logistical hurdles. Everything from locker rooms and medical facilities to ticketing systems and emergency exits must be tested and retested. And with the clock ticking, there’s little margin for error.
Francisi and his team are living in a world of constant updates and rapid-fire decision-making. "Our team is there working every day," he emphasized. "There’s great collaboration between us, we’re creating a coordinated plan between their work and our preparations." The construction companies have ramped up their efforts, and everyone is pulling in the same direction. But with no precise handover date, the uncertainty lingers.
For the athletes, the uncertainty is a familiar part of the Olympic journey. Training schedules, travel plans, and even pre-tournament routines can all be thrown into flux by venue delays. But the promise of Olympic glory—and the chance to compete in front of a packed house in Milan—keeps spirits high. Fans, too, are watching closely, eager for updates and hoping for a seamless Games experience.
History shows that Olympic construction projects often come down to the wire. From Sochi to PyeongChang, organizers have faced last-minute hurdles and frantic efforts to get venues ready. But the Milan-Cortina organizers are determined not to let history repeat itself in a negative way. The daily grind, the relentless focus on every detail, and the spirit of collaboration are all on display as the clock counts down.
While the world waits for the final verdict on Santagiulia’s readiness, the Olympic hockey community is holding its breath. The return of NHL players, the debut of a brand-new arena, and the promise of unforgettable moments on the ice—all hang in the balance.
For now, optimism reigns in Milan. The construction crews are working overtime, the organizers are keeping a close watch, and the athletes are preparing for the biggest stage of their careers. With just weeks to go before the first puck drop, the city is buzzing with anticipation—and a touch of nerves.
Whether Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena will be ready in time remains the million-dollar question. But one thing’s for sure: when the lights go up and the teams hit the ice, the world will be watching. The race to the finish line is on, and Milan is determined to deliver a Winter Games to remember.