Construction delays at the main hockey arena for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have led to the rescheduling of a crucial test event. Originally planned for December at the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena, the event has been moved to a smaller venue with no new test date set. This situation raises concerns that the main arena may not host any games until the women’s preliminary round on February 5, just before the opening ceremony.
Despite these challenges, high-priced tickets for events at the Santagiulia arena are already on sale, with seats for the men’s gold medal game fetching as much as 1,400 euros. This marks the first time NHL players will participate in the Olympics since 2014. The return of NHL players was confirmed last February, allowing the world’s top hockey league to showcase its talent on the global stage once again.
Canada’s men’s and women’s teams have their schedules set for the upcoming Winter Games. The women will start their defense of the gold medal on February 5, while the men’s team kicks off its campaign on February 12. Despite the delays in arena construction, preparations are underway for an exciting hockey tournament at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.