2026 Winter Olympics: The ice hockey arena is still being built five days before the Games

Santagiulia is scheduled to host many of the biggest ice hockey matches of the Games, including the men’s and women’s gold medal games.

The first match there is scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 5, when host Italy faces France in its first match in the women’s competition.

But the stadium, less than a week before that match, is not ready to host matches.

The stadium was the focus of attention throughout the lead-up to the Games, including resulting in a boycott warning from the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Milan rink, approved by the International Ice Hockey Federation, is shorter than the NHL’s minimum requirements, leading to suggestions there may be an increase in high-speed collisions. The quality of the ice has also been called into question.

“Obviously, if the players feel the ice is unsafe, we won’t play,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in November. “It’s that simple.”

The NHL said it was “pleased” with the testing event held at the arena in January, although it did not pass without incident. During the event, there was a short delay while a small hole in the ice had to be repaired.

Santagiulia is one of two ice hockey arenas for the games, with the Milan Rho Arena hosting some group stage matches.

The Rho Arena, a temporary venue built at the Fiera Milano exhibition centre, has a capacity of 5,800 to 6,000 fewer than the Santa Giulia.

BBC Sport visited the four venues in the Milan area that will host events during the Games, which officially take place from 6 to 22 February.

In addition to the ice hockey courts, speed skating will be held at a temporary location in Fiera Milano, west of the city, while short track skating and figure skating will be held at the Unipole Forum on the southern outskirts.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been contacted for comment.