Olympic Hockey Arena Construction Runs Behind Schedule
Construction work is intensifying at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, the new 16,000-seat venue being built in Assago, near Milan, for the upcoming Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. With the Games fast approaching, organisers have confirmed the project is behind schedule and there is no contingency plan if the arena is not completed on time.
‘No Plan B’ as Test Events Are Rescheduled
Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer for Milan Cortina, stated unequivocally that there is ‘no plan B’ for hosting the Olympic ice hockey competitions. The situation has become so tight that a planned test event for the new arena had to be moved. New test events are now scheduled for 9-11 January, leaving a very narrow window for final preparations.
Francisi admitted that there is ‘no precise date’ for when the venue will be officially handed over to the local organising committee. Despite the delays, he expressed a degree of confidence, citing daily monitoring and a significant speed-up in construction work. He described the collaboration with the building companies as strong and maintained a stance of being ‘healthily optimistic’ that the arena will be ready.
High Stakes for NHL's Olympic Return
The pressure is immense, as the Santagiulia Arena is set to be the stage for a major event: the return of NHL players to the Olympics for the first time in over a decade. The first Olympic action in the arena is a women’s preliminary round match on 5 February 2026, which is actually one day before the official opening ceremony.
The men’s ice hockey tournament is scheduled to run from 11-22 February, while the women’s tournament will take place from 5-19 February. The compressed timeline means that the usual year-ahead testing for new Olympic venues will not be possible. This testing is critical not only for the ice quality and player safety but also for evaluating all ancillary facilities, including concession stands and public amenities.
