Olympic Ice Hockey in Peril as New Arena Faces Critical Delays
Organisers of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have confirmed they have no contingency plan for ice hockey events if the brand-new Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena fails to be ready in time. Construction on the flagship venue is running seriously behind schedule, creating a high-stakes race against the clock just months before the Games begin.
A Race Against Time With No Alternative
Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer for Milan-Cortina, stated unequivocally to the Associated Press, "There is no plan B." This admission highlights the immense pressure on construction teams to complete the 16,000-seat arena on the outskirts of Milan. The situation is so tight that a planned test event had to be relocated, and new test events are not scheduled until 9-11 January, a mere month before the Olympic flame is lit.
The first Olympic event slated for the troubled venue is a women's preliminary round hockey match on 5 February, which is scheduled to occur one day before the official opening ceremony. The men's tournament is set to run from 11-22 February, with the women's competition from 5-19 February.
Unprecedented Testing Timeline Poses Significant Risks
This compressed timeline breaks with standard Olympic practice, where new venues are typically tested at least a year in advance. The delay leaves virtually no room for error. It's not just the ice sheet that requires rigorous testing to ensure a safe and suitable playing surface; every element of a brand-new facility, from concession stands and bathrooms to crowd flow and security systems, needs to be thoroughly checked and perfected.
Francisi acknowledged that there is "no precise date" for when local organisers will take control of the venue from the construction companies. Despite this, he expressed a degree of confidence, citing daily monitoring and a significant speed-up in work. "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," Francisi asserted.
With the world watching, the pressure is on to deliver the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on time, as the alternative is an unprecedented crisis for one of the Winter Games' most popular sports.
