The return of NHL players, a compressed build schedule for Milano’s flagship arena, and early health scares combined to make ice hockey one of the most watched and most debated stories at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The women’s tournament opened on February 5, and the men’s tournament runs from February 11 to 22, played primarily at the newly built Milano Santagiulia arena with secondary games at Milano Rho.
Quick facts and context
The International Ice Hockey Federation, together with the NHL and NHLPA, finalized an agreement in mid-2025 to allow NHL players to compete in Milano Cortina, marking the league’s return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014. That decision reshaped rosters, media plans, and fan expectations, and it put added pressure on the host venues to deliver NHL-standard ice and facilities.
The Olympic schedule split the sport across two city arenas, with timelines and formats set by the IIHF: the women’s tournament runs 5–19 February, the men’s tournament runs 11–22 February, and knockout rounds move toward medal games in the final week. Early in the Games, teams and organizers confronted practical problems, from an outbreak of stomach illness that postponed Finland’s women’s opener, to visible construction and logistical snags at Santagiulia that drew scrutiny.
Format, groups, and how teams advance
The men’s tournament fields 12 teams, placed in three groups of four. Group winners and the best second-place team advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the remaining eight teams play a qualification round for the final four spots in the quarters. The women’s tournament features 10 teams, split into two groups, with the top teams advancing to knockout rounds under IIHF rules.
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Tournament format summary (simplified)
Men's (12 teams):
- Group stage: 3 groups x 4 teams
- Direct to quarterfinals: 3 group winners + best second-place team
- Qualification round: 8 remaining teams compete for 4 quarterfinal spots
- Quarterfinals, semifinals, bronze, gold
Women's (10 teams):
- 2 groups (Group A higher-ranked, Group B other qualifiers)
- Top teams from each group advance to quarterfinals/semis per IIHF bracket
- Knockout rounds lead to bronze and gold medal games
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Groups at a glance
Men’s groups were set after qualification tournaments in 2024, producing these pools: Group A (Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy), Group B (Finland, Germany, Czechia, Denmark), Group C (Russia conditional, United States, Slovakia, Latvia). Russia’s participation was listed as conditional in IIHF materials, with France named as an alternate if circumstances prevented Russia from competing.
The women’s field includes traditional powers and host Italy: Canada, United States, Finland, Czechia, Switzerland, Japan, Sweden, Germany, France and Italy, placed into two groups for the preliminary phase.
Rosters, star names, and the return of NHL talent
National teams arrived with heavy NHL representation. The US and Canada, in particular, put together star-studded lineups that read like an All-Star game, with household names and elite goaltenders among the entrants.
- Team USA’s 25-player roster combined elite scorers and established defensemen, with Auston Matthews wearing the captaincy on a roster that includes Jack Hughes, the Tkachuk brothers, and a top-tier goaltending trio. Coaches and management emphasized balance, depth, and the need to build chemistry fast.
- Canada’s squads for men and women leaned on generational NHL talent, and the men’s delegation chose to house itself outside the Olympic Village as a team decision aimed at performance and rest.
The NHL’s official and federation-level approval in July 2025 was framed as a win for fans and the sport, but it also forced a compressed timetable for venue readiness and logistical planning, given the high expectations for ice quality and player facilities.
Venues and a race against time
Milano Santagiulia was designed as the Games’ showpiece rink, and planning documents and local sources variously list its capacity between about 11,800 and 16,000 depending on configuration, with Milano Rho serving as the secondary arena. That variation surfaced because of last-minute adjustments to seating plans and ongoing construction work.
Organizers repeatedly voiced confidence that Santagiulia would be ready, while independent coverage and some hockey officials expressed unease. The arena’s late-stage construction produced headlines and on-site images showing material and finishing work still underway weeks before competition, and at least one senior organizer conceded bluntly, "There is no plan B." That admission heightened scrutiny, especially after test events were postponed into January, a few weeks before the Games.
Multiple perspectives on readiness
- Organizers and the IIHF stressed that accelerated construction and daily coordination kept the project on course, and that safety and ice quality remained top priorities.
- The NHL and NHLPA, while supportive of player participation, demanded independent inspections and left open the possibility of reassessing if safety or ice conditions were unacceptable.
- Independent reporters and some visiting hockey officials described the Santagiulia site as still rough around the edges in the run up to the Olympics, and spectators and broadcasters noted visible work zones in nearby areas during early matches.
Health and safety at center ice
A non-hockey issue interrupted play when several Finnish women’s players entered quarantine after a norovirus-like illness, forcing the postponement of Finland’s opening game against Canada, and prompting tighter hygiene measures across the Olympic Village and team areas. Organizers and medical staff worked quickly to isolate cases and monitor contacts, and teams adapted with adjusted practice plans and added disinfection protocols.
"From a medical perspective, there are currently no concerns about the game taking place, provided no further players show symptoms," said one national team medical official, reflecting the cautious, protocol-driven response that followed the incident.
These events underscored how non-sporting factors can influence outcomes, given the compressed tournament schedule and the small margins that separate teams in elite women’s and men’s hockey.
What the numbers say
Item | Men’s tournament | Women’s tournament |
|---|---|---|
Teams | 12 | 10 |
Dates | Feb 11–22, 2026 | Feb 5–19, 2026 |
Main venue | Milano Santagiulia (primary) | Milano Santagiulia / Milano Rho |
Typical match attendance (capacity est.) | 12k–16k (varies by source) | 5k–16k depending on arena |
Key dates: group play runs through mid-February, quarterfinals start Feb 18 for men, and medal games conclude Feb 19 for women and Feb 22 for men.
Tactical implications and on-ice storylines
With NHL-level talent available, international coaches faced familiar questions, about how to build chemistry in a short camp, how to manage minutes for star players, and how to balance offensive flair with defensive structure. Deeper rosters favored teams that had institutional continuity and a clear system, while countries that relied on individual brilliance had to find ways to integrate stars into a cohesive line-up fast.
For goaltending, the presence of NHL starters added intrigue and pressure; a single hot goalie can tilt a short Olympic knockout bracket, and teams expected to ride elite netminders deep into the tournament.
Matchups to watch
- Canada vs United States, men and women, remains the marquee rivalry, built on roster depth and historical stakes.
- European powerhouses like Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic bring tactical coherence and the NHL’s top European talent.
- Host Italy, while an underdog on paper, fed local interest and occasional surprise results that can shift group outcomes.
Voices around the rink
Fans and commentators celebrated the return of the NHL stars, seeing it as a chance for the Olympics to again produce iconic, global hockey moments. Organizers argued the games would showcase the sport and leave a legacy venue for Milan. Critics, including some safety-minded league officials and construction-watchers, warned that last-minute infrastructure issues could create avoidable risks, or at least distract from the competition.
"Best-on-best international tournaments like the Olympics provide the opportunity to create extraordinary moments for our players and fans alike," the IIHF said when the agreement was announced, a sentiment echoed by players excited to represent their countries on the world stage.
Balanced assessment and outlook
Milano Cortina 2026 assembled the ingredients for a memorable hockey tournament: top-tier talent, passionate national rivalries, and the pageantry of the Olympics. The reality on the ground mixed triumphant hockey with behind-the-scenes stress, from venue construction to infectious illness, and that duality shaped the narrative as much as any scoreboard.
If the arenas hold up and health protocols succeed in limiting disruption, the presence of NHL players should produce high-skill, high-drama hockey and boost global interest in the sport. If infrastructure or safety concerns force adjustments, those would blunt what is otherwise a generational moment for Olympic hockey.
What to watch, day to day
- Early bracket games for momentum and upset potential, especially where higher-ranked teams face well-drilled European squads.
- Goaltender performances, because hot netminders often decide short tournaments.
- Any further logistical or health developments, since schedule compressions make quick recovery essential.
Final note
Milano Cortina 2026 has shown that elite sport rarely arrives without friction, and ice hockey at these Games summed that truth up in a single image: world-class players skating on contested ice, with the noise of construction and the hum of television crews framing every shift. For fans, the result is must-watch sport; for organizers, it is a test of delivery and safety; and for players, it is a rare stage to marry club brilliance with national pride.