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All eyes are on Milan and Cortina as the 2026 Winter Olympics get underway. However, not all the news has been positive in the lead up to these Olympics, as frustrating construction issues have caused massive headaches around the rink set to host the men's and women's hockey tournaments.
Back in December 2025, news broke that the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena was beset by construction issues that delayed tests of the rink. Originally, the rink was supposed to house Olympic-sized ice, but reports then surfaced that the arena will have an ice surface smaller than NHL standard, which is already smaller than the international dimensions. Not only that, there was reportedly no Plan B if the arena wasn't ready in time, which meant work had to be done around the clock to get Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena up and running.
Then in January 2026, just a few short weeks away from the Olympics, reports surfaced that while the playing surface, practice facilities and dressing rooms were finished, other parts of the arena might not be done in time. The arena also is set to house fewer people than expected, as original plans had 16,000 seats in the arena while the latest count sits at 11,800 seats.
The doom and gloom over Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena's construction certainly cast a pall over the start of the Olympic festivities. However, based on recent reports, it seems as if things have fallen into place for the arena. The NHL was reportedly pleased by the mid-January ice test and members of the French team have since taken to the rink to practice with no glaring issues. French captain Pierre-Édouard Bellemare told The Associated Press that skating "feel like you're on a lake a little bit" but overall the verdict was "not bad" even if some final touches still needed to be done.
Of course, once fans get into the arena and more players and media begin to arrive, it's possible other issues arise or are brought to light. For now though, it seems as if the arena will be up and running to house the hockey tournaments this February.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Milan Cortina Olympic hockey arena issues, explained
Continue reading...
Back in December 2025, news broke that the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena was beset by construction issues that delayed tests of the rink. Originally, the rink was supposed to house Olympic-sized ice, but reports then surfaced that the arena will have an ice surface smaller than NHL standard, which is already smaller than the international dimensions. Not only that, there was reportedly no Plan B if the arena wasn't ready in time, which meant work had to be done around the clock to get Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena up and running.
Then in January 2026, just a few short weeks away from the Olympics, reports surfaced that while the playing surface, practice facilities and dressing rooms were finished, other parts of the arena might not be done in time. The arena also is set to house fewer people than expected, as original plans had 16,000 seats in the arena while the latest count sits at 11,800 seats.
The doom and gloom over Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena's construction certainly cast a pall over the start of the Olympic festivities. However, based on recent reports, it seems as if things have fallen into place for the arena. The NHL was reportedly pleased by the mid-January ice test and members of the French team have since taken to the rink to practice with no glaring issues. French captain Pierre-Édouard Bellemare told The Associated Press that skating "feel
Of course, once fans get into the arena and more players and media begin to arrive, it's possible other issues arise or are brought to light. For now though, it seems as if the arena will be up and running to house the hockey tournaments this February.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Milan Cortina Olympic hockey arena issues, explained
Continue reading...
