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The ice hockey tournament is scheduled to run from February 5 to February 22, 2026, with games taking place primarily in Milan (with some events associated with the wider Milano–Cortina host region).

Olympic ice hockey is considered one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sport, bringing together the world’s top national teams. The 2026 edition is especially significant as it’s expected to feature the return of NHL players to the Olympics, restoring a true “best-on-best” international competition and dramatically increasing global interest and competitive quality.

The ice hockey tournament is organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in collaboration with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee.

Venues, Competitors’ Structure, and Prize Pool Overview for Ice Hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The ice hockey competitions at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be held at two indoor arenas located in the Milan cluster:

• CTS Eventim Arena: A newly constructed venue that will host preliminary and final matches.
• Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena: An existing venue with temporary stands at the Milano Ice Park – a temporary, sustainable venue in Rho (near Milan), transforming the Fiera Milano exhibition center into dedicated spaces for speed skating and some ice hockey events – that will host preliminary games.

A total of 22 teams (530 athletes) will participate across two events:

• Men’s tournament: 12 teams.
• Women’s tournament: 10 teams. 

Olympic athletes, including ice hockey players, don’t receive a central “prize pool” from the IOC. Instead, they compete for medals (gold, silver, and bronze), national glory, and personal achievement. Any financial awards for winning medals are determined and distributed by the individual athlete’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) or their home country’s government, not the Olympic organizing committee itself.

Participating Teams in Ice Hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Qualification Overview

Italy

Canada

United States

Sweden

Finland

Czech Republic

Switzerland

Germany

Slovakia

Latvia

Denmark

France

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Each nation may register up to 25 players (including goaltenders). Final rosters are confirmed shortly before the Games. With NHL participation expected in 2026, squads should feature top players from the NHL and elite European leagues.

How did they qualify?

• Host nation: Italy qualified automatically as the Olympic host.
• IIHF World Ranking: The top-8 nations in the IIHF Men’s World Ranking (after the 2023 IIHF World Championship) qualified directly.
• Olympic Qualification Tournaments (OQT): The remaining three spots were decided via final Olympic qualification tournaments held in late 2024, contested by the highest-ranked non-qualified nations.

Women’s tournament teams:

• Italy
• Canada
• United States
• Finland
• Czech Republic
• Switzerland
• Japan
• Sweden
• Germany
• France

Each team may enter up to 23 players, with final rosters submitted close to the start of the tournament.

How did they qualify?

• Host nation: Italy qualified automatically.
• IIHF World Ranking: The top-6 teams in the IIHF Women’s World Ranking qualified directly.
• Olympic Qualification Tournaments: The remaining three places were earned through women’s Olympic qualification tournaments, held during the 2024–2025 international window.

Structure and Match Format of Ice Hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The ice hockey tournaments at the 2026 Winter Olympics feature two main stages: a preliminary group stage followed by a single-elimination playoff round, concluding with bronze and gold medal games.

As said, the ice hockey events will run from February 5 to February 22, 2026, with separate tournaments for men and women.

All matches have a 60-minute regulation time (three 20-minute periods). If tied, games proceed to an overtime period (3-on-3 sudden-death) and, if necessary, a shootout to determine a winner, except for the gold medal game, which uses continuous 20-minute sudden-death overtime periods until a goal is scored.

Men’s tournament

• Group stage (Feb 11-15): The 12 teams are divided into three groups of four for a single round-robin.
• Playoff qualification: The three group winners and the best second-place team advance directly to the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams play a qualification playoff round to fill the remaining four quarterfinal spots.
• Elimination system: From the qualification playoffs onward, it is a single-elimination knockout system. Quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals, with the winners playing for the gold medal and the losers playing for the bronze.

Women’s tournament

• Group stage (Feb 5-10): Teams are split into two groups (Group A with top-five seeds, Group B with seeds 6-10).
• Playoff qualification: All five teams from Group A and the top three teams from Group B advance to the quarterfinals.
• Elimination system: A single-elimination knockout system is used from the quarterfinals through to the gold and bronze medal games.

Favorites in Ice Hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Betting Options, and Where to Watch

Men’s tournament favorites:

• Canada – The benchmark nation in Olympic ice hockey, especially dangerous with NHL players expected to return.
• United States – A fast, skill-heavy roster built around prime-age NHL stars.
• Sweden – Consistently disciplined and tactically sound.
• Finland – Reigning Olympic champion (2022).

Dark horses: Czech Republic (high-end skill, strong power play) and Switzerland (elite goaltending, cohesive systems).

Women’s tournament favorites

• Canada – The dominant force in women’s ice hockey, blending experience with elite scoring depth and physical superiority.
• United States – Canada’s long-time rival, equally capable of winning gold with speed, puck control, and tactical adaptability.

Other contenders: Finland and the Czech Republic, both of whom have closed the gap significantly and can challenge for medals.

Ice hockey at the Winter Olympics attracts coverage from most licensed international sports betting platforms, particularly hockey betting companies that offer NHL and international hockey markets.

Common betting markets include:

• Outright winner (gold medal)
• Medal markets (gold, silver, bronze)
• Group winners
• Match winner (moneyline)
• Puck line (handicap)
• Over/under total goals
• Player markets (top scorer, goaltender shutouts – where available)

The tournament can be watched in the following ways:

Global & regional broadcasters

• NBC / Peacock – United States
• CBC & TSN – Canada
• Eurosport / discovery+ – Most of Europe
• SVT / TV4 – Sweden
• YLE – Finland
• ČT Sport – Czech Republic

Streaming options

• Official Olympic broadcasters’ online platforms and mobile apps
• The Olympics digital ecosystem (highlights, replays, selected live streams depending on region)

Coverage typically includes live matches, studio analysis, replays, and on-demand highlights throughout the Olympic schedule.

Pros and Cons of Favorites in Ice Hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics