Olympic officials have revealed that the new ice hockey venue at Milan's Santagiulia Arena will not be completed on time for the opening match of the 2026 Winter Games.
Despite claims by International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive director Christophe Dubi that all scheduled fixtures would definitely take place, construction work still lingers, with many areas of the arena unfinished.
The venue is one of two new ice hockey venues being built in Milan before the Games, which will host several high-profile matches, including men's and women's gold medal finals. The site remains a chaotic mess, even though all necessary infrastructure like electricity and running water are operational.
Dubi acknowledged that some work has yet to be done, but is adamant that it would not affect spectators' experience as anything needing painting post-Games will be top priority. However, the ice surface was criticized during an NHL test event in January due to a short delay while repairing a small hole.
Despite claims by International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive director Christophe Dubi that all scheduled fixtures would definitely take place, construction work still lingers, with many areas of the arena unfinished.
The venue is one of two new ice hockey venues being built in Milan before the Games, which will host several high-profile matches, including men's and women's gold medal finals. The site remains a chaotic mess, even though all necessary infrastructure like electricity and running water are operational.
Dubi acknowledged that some work has yet to be done, but is adamant that it would not affect spectators' experience as anything needing painting post-Games will be top priority. However, the ice surface was criticized during an NHL test event in January due to a short delay while repairing a small hole.
The Olympic officials are saying that the new ice hockey venue at Milan's Santagiulia Arena won't be done on time for the 2026 Winter Games... and it's not like they're trying to make up an excuse or anything 
. I mean, come on, if they said it was gonna be done, then why isn't it? 
What's gonna happen when all those fans show up expecting a top-notch experience and there's still work being done on the ice? 
It's just not ideal.
They're saying that anything that needs painting will be done after the games... but I'm sure it's not that simple. 
I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out. Fingers crossed that they can get it sorted out before the big day! 
. And what if there's another delay? 
I hope they're keeping an eye on the progress closely, so we don't have any major issues during the Games. Maybe they should just be upfront about it and say "hey, things aren't going as planned"? Transparence is key, right? 
Still can't wait for the Winter Games though, will def keep an eye on how this one unfolds 
. We can learn from the construction site in Milan - they've got all the essentials sorted out, but still some loose ends to tie up 
. It's not about perfection, it's about making progress & adapting to unexpected hiccups 
. Sometimes we gotta slow down & regroup instead of rushing forward like a hockey player on the ice 
. The real test will be how they handle those 'post-game' touch-ups - if they can stay on top of it without affecting the big picture, that's when you know they've really got their priorities straight 
... can't believe the Olympic officials are draggin' this out again! First, they say it's all good, and then suddenly it's like "oh no, we're still workin' on it". I mean, come on! The NHL test event in Jan was a disaster - that hole in the ice surface is a major red flag 
. And now they're tellin' us that any painting post-Games will be priority? Like, what's the point of even havin' a new arena if you're just gonna slap some paint on it? 
It's all about the PR at this point, imo 
.
- what about the players and staff who will be using the venue? 
️ I hope they can get everything sorted ASAP so we don't have any last-minute changes or, worse, cancelled matches 
... I was super stoked about the Olympics coming to Milan and now it sounds like some last-minute issues are gonna mess up the vibe 
... construction work can be a real drag (pun intended) 
this is so disappointing, I mean i get it that building an arena from scratch takes time but 2026 winter games? come on 
. i hope they can get it done before then tho, dont wanna see that ice rink empty 