As the 2026 Winter Olympic Games draws closer, construction on Milan’s Santagiulia Arena is “going down to the wire” according to reporting by Sports Business Journal. The project has fallen behind schedule, so that when the women’s preliminary round begins on Feb. 5, 2026, those Olympians may be the first athletes to ever skate on the ice.
Originally, the under-20 world championships were scheduled to take place at the 16,000-seat arena in December, but construction delays have forced that competition to be relocated to another venue.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said there might “not be a game held in the main arena until the puck is dropped for the women’s preliminary round competition. We’ve had a concern for the last two years on the progress of the rink — both rinks but mainly the main one — but it’s the IOC’s responsibility. We’re expecting that they’re going to make good on all the promises to have a facility that is, from a competitive standpoint, first class.”
According to AP News, Olympic venues are traditionally tested and inspected a year prior to hosting events.
Not only will Milan’s Santagiulia Arena be presenting untested ice, but even basic fan accommodations like concessions and bathrooms may not be vetted before the puck drops on Feb. 5, 2026.
Despite ongoing construction, tickets have been sold for seats that may not yet be installed. The tickets to the men’s gold-medal game are selling for as much as $1,600.
Upon completion, the arena will be Italy’s largest indoor arena. Beyond the Olympics, it could host the ATP Finals tennis event and other large-scale sporting events
“It’s going to be very close to the start of the games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that,” Milan-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said recently.
