Concerns continue to grow for hockey players ahead of the 2026 Olympics. Athletes were already informed to be prepared for accommodations falling well below what they're accustomed to as professional hockey players, but now the real concern is if the main hockey venue for the Olympic tournament will even be complete.

As organizers told The Associated Press, "there is no Plan B" for the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena should portions be left incomplete. 

With the women's tournament beginning six days prior to the men's, it's the women's hockey tournament that could face the brunt of the issues, including safety concerns.

Significant concern arose this week when a test event scheduled for the venue between January 9-11 had to be preemptively moved as work on the venue will not be complete. Puck drop on the 2026 ice hockey tournament is scheduled for February 5, just over two weeks after the already cancelled test event.

The women's tournament begins February 5, primarily at the secondary Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, but France and Italy are scheduled to face off on the opening day at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena followed by Czechia and Switzerland the following day. The men's hockey tournament does not open until February 11, meaning it's women's athletes and fans most likely to be impacted by any issues.

Perhaps more concerning is the fact that in the past, Olympic hockey venues have held test events a year or more in advance, not weeks, and the inability to host those test events weeks before the tournament is set to begin is raising alarm bells. 

As The Associated Press noted, it's not only about ensuring the ice surface is ready and safe, it's also about ensuring the venue has functioning washrooms, concessions, and other aspects that could impact, not only the fan and athlete experience, but safety.

For hockey players attending the Olympics, which for the first time in history will see full participation from a singular top professional league for both men and women in the NHL and PWHL, the concerns over accommodations have already been raised. According to previous reporting by The Athletic, Canada's Olympic athletes were told to expect an "enhanced dorm experience" and that "everything is not going to be perfect."

The Milano Cortina athlete village is a set of 400 mobile home trailers, each equipped with two rooms that will house up to two athletes per room to accommodate 1,400 athletes in the village.

Organizers maintain that the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena will be ready in time for the Olympic hockey tournament to begin, but time is rapidly slipping away, and the standard of readiness provided may not be the safe or professional standard NHL and PWHL players are accustomed to at home.