NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman sounds alarm over unfinished arena ahead of 2026 Olympics

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has raised new concerns about the unfinished arena planned to host men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The men’s hockey event in Milan and Cortina is scheduled to take place from February 11 to 22.

Speaking with Hockey Sverige on Friday, Bettman confirmed that the league is sending two inspectors to Italy next week. Their job is to evaluate the progress of the Santagiulia Arena, where construction delays have already caused a scheduled test event to be canceled.

"There seem to be some issues, including with the ice," Bettman said, via Uffe Bodin of Hockey Sverige. "Even though the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation are responsible and have said we have nothing to worry about,"

"We will send our own people to look at it ourselves, because the safety of the players in this tournament is the most important thing."

These concerns are not new. In mid-October, Gary Bettman told The Athletic that the NHL is worried about delays at the Santagiulia Arena (main event arena), but also emphasized that the responsibility lies with the IOC.

"It’s the IOC’s responsibility," Bettman said to The Athletic on October 15. "We’re invited guests, but they know of our concerns, and 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."

Despite the construction issues, excitement remains high for the first Olympics featuring NHL players since 2014. Fans around the world are eager to see top talent return to the international stage in Italy.

Gary Bettman has clarified that "ice conditions are crucial."

In the latest interview, Gary Bettman also mentioned that normally Olympic venues are completed well in advance, allowing time for testing. In this case, construction is running close to the deadline, which he called "not be our preference."

The commissioner stressed that ice quality is a major concern.

"The ice conditions are crucial, and so we have to make sure that the ice conditions meet our standards," Bettman said. "Hopefully it will be okay. It is beyond our control and we are assured that everything will be okay, and I hope that is true."

While the IOC claims everything will be ready, Gary Bettman and the NHL want "a fact-based analysis" of the situation. They need a clear understanding of what still needs to be finished.