The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to kick off in Milan, Italy, but a major hurdle has emerged for the city's ice hockey venue. Christophe Dubi, the International Olympic Committee's executive director for the Olympic Games, revealed that the new arena will not be ready on time, just five days before its first match.
Despite this, Dubi is confident that all scheduled fixtures will still take place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. However, he acknowledged that not every space in the venue will be finished and that some areas are currently unfinished.
The 11,800-capacity stadium was built to host many of the biggest ice hockey games during the Olympics, including the men's and women's gold medal matches. Unfortunately, days before the Games, many roads remain closed around the arena, and construction materials litter the floor.
The venue is still undergoing frantic work to meet the deadline, but Dubi downplayed any concerns about the readiness of the arena. He assured that nothing will affect the experience of spectators, with all public-facing areas being finished in time for the Games.
However, concerns remain over the quality of the ice and the rink's dimensions, which are shorter than the minimum requirement set by the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHL had previously expressed its concerns about the arena, citing a short delay during a test event to repair a small hole in the ice.
While Dubi praised the work done on the venue, it appears that the organizers have still got some last-minute work to do. Nevertheless, they are confident that all games will be played at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and that spectators will not be affected by any unfinished areas.
Despite this, Dubi is confident that all scheduled fixtures will still take place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. However, he acknowledged that not every space in the venue will be finished and that some areas are currently unfinished.
The 11,800-capacity stadium was built to host many of the biggest ice hockey games during the Olympics, including the men's and women's gold medal matches. Unfortunately, days before the Games, many roads remain closed around the arena, and construction materials litter the floor.
The venue is still undergoing frantic work to meet the deadline, but Dubi downplayed any concerns about the readiness of the arena. He assured that nothing will affect the experience of spectators, with all public-facing areas being finished in time for the Games.
However, concerns remain over the quality of the ice and the rink's dimensions, which are shorter than the minimum requirement set by the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHL had previously expressed its concerns about the arena, citing a short delay during a test event to repair a small hole in the ice.
While Dubi praised the work done on the venue, it appears that the organizers have still got some last-minute work to do. Nevertheless, they are confident that all games will be played at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and that spectators will not be affected by any unfinished areas.
Like, who builds an ice hockey arena with a 'test event' being still needed to fix a hole in the ice? 
It's not like it's the first time they've had issues... anyway, glad everything will be fine for the Olympics, I guess. 
11,800 seats and all public-facing areas finished on time, huh? 
Sounds like they're pulling out all the stops to make this work. 
(Just don't expect me to be too excited about it).
just heard that the ice hockey venue for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan is still super messy with construction materials everywhere and some areas unfinished. like, can't they fix that last minute? 
. not exactly the most welcoming sight for spectators. 
️ Still, I guess it's good that they're confident everything will work out for spectators. Just hope the ice is okay and all that jazz 
for the 2026 Winter Olympics?! Like, what even is going on?! They're literally just 5 days away from the first match and it's still not done 
" The whole thing with the roads being closed and construction materials everywhere is just...nope 
. And don't even get me started on the ice quality and dimensions - that's just a recipe for disaster 
. The fact that roads around the arena are still closed and construction materials are littering the floor is just crazy 
.
. If it's not up to NHL standards, it could affect the overall experience for fans and players alike. Fingers crossed they can get everything sorted out in time 
. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out, especially with five days left before the Games 
– shorter rink dimensions than the minimum NHL requirement? That's a big no-no. I'm all for giving the organizers a chance to make it work, but this is just too much last-minute drama 
. Fingers crossed everything comes together in time for the Games! 
! Still, 11k seats littered with construction materials? 
that's just crazy talk 
. And what's up with the NHL concerns? 
. And what's up with all the construction materials scattered everywhere? It looks like they're trying to put on a show for us but can't even get the basics right 
.
I'm all for keeping costs down, but at what cost? The experience for spectators is supposed to be top-notch, and this just looks like a rushed job. 
.
. I hope it doesn't mess up the Games too much! Fingers crossed for a smooth Olympics experience 
It's like he's trying to make a point about flexibility and adaptability in sports, but really he's just showing us that sometimes, even the best-laid plans can go up in flames