Santagiulia Arena appears on track despite construction delays, with a successful test event and IOC praise. For bettors: improved confidence for pre-tournament outrights and futures, but lingering venue uncertainty advises caution on live markets (goals totals/prop bets); back disciplined favorites over volatile high-scoring lines until ice conditions are fully confirmed.
Santagiulia Arena racing against time ahead of Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
The Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena is in a frantic final push to be ready for the Winter Olympics, with roughly three weeks to go before the Milan Cortina Games open. When fully completed the venue will seat 16,000 fans, but parts of the arena still look like a building site and many spectator seats remain to be installed.
Successful test event calms some nerves
Despite the unfinished appearance, the ice rink has been laid and the venue recently staged a three-day test event featuring the Final Four of the IHL Serie A Championship and the Coppa Italia for the 2025/2026 season. Organisers used the event to evaluate ice performance, operations and spectator flow under near-tournament conditions.
IOC endorsement and engineering oversight
International Olympic Committee executive director Christophe Dubi praised the turnaround at the site, calling the seating bowl “extraordinary” and noting “so, so much progress.” He stressed extensive oversight and expert input had been applied to the venue — from engineers to ice specialists — and said that while concerns existed earlier, the latest developments were very encouraging.
NHL safety warnings and assurances on ice quality
The NHL had voiced worries about ice quality, with deputy commissioner Bill Daly warning players might be withheld if safety issues persisted. Organisers and ice technicians insist the ice has been brought up to standard, and the test event did not reveal safety concerns that would bar participation.
Player perspective and local reaction
Players who competed in the test event offered reassurance. James Livingston, who helped the Wipptal Broncos secure bronze at the Final Four, said players are adaptable and confident about the ice: “We all grew up playing on ponds back in Canada…whatever gets thrown at them, they’re going to adapt and they’re going to enjoy it.” His comments underline player readiness despite venue noise.
Tournament timing and logistics
Milan hosts the men’s Olympic ice hockey tournament from February 11-22, with the women’s competition running from February 5-19. Organisers continue to finalise seating and finish-line works while preparing operations for an influx of teams, officials and fans.
Betting outlook: what punters should consider
The successful test event and IOC endorsement reduce uncertainty for pre-tournament markets and outrights, making futures and outright winner bets more palatable. However, remaining construction and last-minute adjustments argue for caution with live markets and goal-line props until ice consistency is fully verified. Punters may prefer backing favourites and disciplined defensive teams over expecting unusually high-scoring affairs early in the tournament.
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The Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena is on course to be used at the Winter Olympics next month - despite it still yet to be finished.There are just three
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