Ice Hockey at Winter Olympics 2026 Free Streams: TV Channels, Schedule & Preview

Ice hockey, arguably the biggest – certainly the starriest – event of Milano Cortina, has already been plunged into uncertainty. The 2026 Winter Olympics is the first edition to include the National Hockey League’s top players. However, amid concerns over the construction speed of the purpose-built PalaItalia Santa Giulia, the NHL recently pledged to pull its players out of the tournament entirely if the venue didn’t meet its standards.

It had felt like a piece of corporate theater at the time, but lo and behold, just days before the action is due to begin, the PalaItalia arena remains a dust-strewn construction site. Will the NHL follow through on its threats? There is a secondary ice hockey venue, the Fiera Milano, which was only ever supposed to stage a handful of lower-key fixtures. At the time of writing, however, it might be the only option.