The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has confirmed that the ice rink at the Olympic Stadium in Milan will differ significantly in size from NHL rinks.

“The IIHF has announced that the ice dimensions for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina will be 60.0 m x 26.0 m (approximately 196.85 feet x 85.3 feet). While these measurements are somewhat different from the standard NHL ice, they are in accordance with IIHF regulations, align with the rink size used at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, and fully comply with the dimensions required by the NHL for venues as part of the technical specifications for Global Series games. All stakeholders — the IIHF, the organizing committee, the NHL, the NHLPA, the IOC, and the relevant authorities responsible for conducting the matches — agree that the differences in ice characteristics are minor and should not impact either safety or the quality of play. We look forward to seeing the world’s best hockey players compete in this prestigious tournament at the Games,” stated the IIHF press office to Vladimir Laevsky, a correspondent for Championat.