The Olympic hockey arena faces significant challenges as it prepares for its inaugural event with visible construction flaws — including both missing sections in the building's exterior and issues with the ice itself.
MILAN — Entering the Santagiulia Arena for the first time felt akin to stepping onto a bustling construction site. With less than a month to go before the Milan Cortina Olympics officially begin, the primary venue for ice hockey is still very much under development.
On a positive note, ice has been laid and seating is available, with several thousand fans attending on Friday evening for an Italian Cup match that served as the venue's first test event. However, clouds of construction dust hovered over the ice during the game, highlighting the ongoing frantic efforts to prepare the facility in time for February 5, when the women’s Olympic tournament kicks off with the match between France and Italy.
Organizers are faced with a hefty to-do list before that date arrives. As of Friday night, numerous large gaps were evident in the building's outer walls, creating a significant challenge for those tasked with maintaining appropriate ice conditions inside the arena.
The Santagiulia Arena is still marked by large holes in its exterior. (Photo by Chris Johnston for The Athletic)
Additionally, the permanent dressing room area remains incomplete, with only three out of the planned 14 rooms nearing readiness. One construction worker mentioned to The Athletic that he had just wrapped up an extensive 11-hour shift. "We’re very busy," he remarked, reflecting the urgency of the situation.
Currently, the necessary dressing rooms and a practice rink are located in a temporary structure adjacent to the main arena, linked by a lengthy walkway, part of which is exposed to the elements and covered only temporarily. This practice rink is cluttered with forklifts, building materials, and various tools, and the ice surface there was only recently marked with lines, making it unfit for skating at this point. Finalizing these details is crucial since there won't be another location for teams to train during the Olympics, with the main rink scheduled to host as many as three games daily.
Only three of the total 14 locker rooms intended for Olympic hockey teams are currently operational. (Photo by Chris Johnston for The Athletic)
Progress is observable in the main game rink, although it is far from perfect. The seating capacity is set to accommodate 11,800 spectators, significantly less than the initially planned 14,000 due to time constraints that hindered the completion of certain sections. However, there is no prevailing sense of alarm regarding the overall viability of the upcoming Olympic tournament.
Take a look inside the MH1 — the primary Olympic arena in Milan, where construction is still in progress but will host its first test game tonight. pic.twitter.com/LmBMIY8kYx (https://t.co/LmBMIY8kYx)
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 9, 2026 (https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/2009681661290787096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
Inside the arena, the walls feature unpainted drywall and unfinished concrete floors, lacking any extravagant concourses or luxury seating options. Attendees could only purchase refreshments from food trucks situated outside the venue on Friday night.
Fans currently have access to vendors only through food trucks parked outside the arena. (Photo by Chris Johnston for The Athletic)
The ice appeared soft and somewhat powdery during its debut, leading to a halt in play in the first period when a hole appeared in front of one of the goals. A small scoreboard, which would seem more at home in a junior hockey setting in Canada, hung above center ice. Organizers have assured that it will be swapped out for a larger model before the Olympics commence.
Before the puck dropped on Friday, representatives from the International Ice Hockey Federation and various national teams toured the facility. Among them was Scott Salmond, senior vice president of high performance and hockey operations for Hockey Canada, who traveled to Italy following the conclusion of the World Juniors earlier in the week. He expressed an optimistic perspective regarding the recent advancements made in the building’s preparations.
"The games are going to be fantastic," Salmond shared with The Athletic. "As with every Olympic event, there are hurdles that arise outside of the game itself, but we’re Canadian. We come from small towns and local rinks, even outdoor ones. We know how to adapt to such circumstances. The most important aspect is that we have a rink to play in, families can come to watch, and fans from around the world will be able to tune in.
"It’s exciting. I’m genuinely looking forward to it."
Salmond intends to update Team Canada, whose men’s squad is set to practice in this arena upon their arrival in Milan on February 8. They will kick off their tournament against Czechia on February 12.
While it’s apparent that this Olympic facility will not meet the standards typically expected of NHL venues, Salmond is confident that the enthusiasm of NHL players, returning to the Olympics after a 12-year absence since the 2014 Sochi Games, will not be diminished by the current state of the setup.
"I believe that the team which embraces the unique challenges presented here and is willing to set aside any distractions to focus solely on playing will emerge as the most successful," Salmond stated. "The excitement our players feel about returning to the Olympics will overshadow any obstacles we may encounter."
