Milano Cortina 2026: Full Winter Olympic Men's ice hockey schedule, dates, times, venues, how to watch.

The International Ice Hockey Federation unveiled the schedule Tuesday for the men’s and women’s tournaments at the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina.

The 25th edition of the Olympic Winter Games will also see the return of NHL players for the first time since Sochi 2014, meaning audiences will be able to watch the world's best hockey players take to the ice in both the men's and women's competition.

Men’s hockey with the return of NHL players opens the following day with Finland facing Slovakia and host Italy against Sweden. Without Russia in the 12-team field, the U.S. is grouped with Germany, Latvia and Denmark and will play each of them in a round robin.

When is the Milano Cortina 2026 winer Olympic men's ice hockey tournament?

The men’s tournament runs 11-22 February, 2026.

Venues: Milano and Cortina

Areans/Stadium: Milano Rho and Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arenas.

Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics men's Ice hockey tournament teams list, groups.

Group A includes Canada, Czechia, France, and Switzerland. Canada,

Group B features Finland, Italy, Slovakia, and Sweden.

Group C has in it Denmark, Germany, Latvia, and United States.

Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics men's Ice hockey tournament, schedule, dates, times

Group A

Canada opens play Feb. 12 against Czechia. In addition to Canada's games, Czechia versus Switzerland

on Feb. 15 will be a pivotal contest for overall seeding. France last featured in the men's tournament back in 2002.

Game Date Time (ET)

Switzerland vs. France Feb. 12 6:10 am - 12:10 UTC

Canada vs. Czechia Feb. 12 10:40 am - 4:40 UTC

Czechia vs. France Feb. 13 10:40 am - 4:40 UTC

Canada vs. Switzerland Feb. 13 3:10 pm - 9:10pm UTC

Czechia vs. Switzerland Feb. 15 6:10 am - 12:10pm UTC

Canada vs. France Feb. 15 10:40 am - 4:40 UTC

Group B

The marquee game of Group B is the classic Sweden-Finland rivalry Feb. 13. Finland is the defending gold medallists after defeating the Russian Olympic Committee, and Slovakia won bronze in 2022 after knocking off Sweden. The host nation, Italy, makes its return to the men's Olympic hockey after last featuring in 2006.

Game Date Time (ET)

Finland vs. Slovakia Feb. 11 10:40 am - 4:40 UTC

Sweden vs. Italy Feb. 11 3:10 pm - 9:10pm UTC

Sweden vs. Finland Feb. 13 6:10 am - 12:10pm UTC

Slovakia vs. Italy Feb. 13 6:10 am - 12:10pm UTC

Sweden vs. Slovakia Feb. 14 6:10 am - 12:10pm UTC

Finland vs. Italy Feb. 14 10:40 am - 4:40 UTC

Group C

The United States is the heavy favorite in Group C but opens Feb. 12 against Latvia, which upset the Americans in the bronze-medal game at the 2023 Worlds.

Game Date Time (ET)

USA vs. Latvia Feb. 12 3:10 pm - 9:10pm UTC

Germany vs. Denmark Feb. 12 3:10 pm - 9:10pm UTC

Germany vs. Latvia Feb. 14 6:10 am - 12:10pm UTC

USA vs. Denmark Feb. 14 3:10 pm - 9:10pm UTC

Latvia vs. Denmark Feb. 15 1:10 pm - 7:10pm UTC

USA vs. Germany Feb. 15 3:10 pm - 9:10pm UTC

Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics men's Ice hockey knockout round schedule, dates, times

Game Date Time (ET)

Playoff No. 1 Feb. 17 6:10 am - 12:10pm UTC

Playoff No. 2 Feb. 17 6:10 am - 12:10pm UTC

Playoff No. 3 Feb. 17 10:40 am - 4:40 UTC

Playoff No. 4 Feb. 17 3:10 pm - 9:10pm UTC

Quarterfinal No. 1 Feb. 18 6:10 am - 12:10pm UTC

Quarterfinal No. 2 Feb. 18 8:10 am - 2:40 UTC

Quarterfinal No. 3 Feb. 18 10:40 am - 4:40 UTC

Quarterfinal No. 4 Feb. 18 3:10 pm - 9:10pm UTC

Semifinal No. 1 Feb. 20 10:40 am - 4:40 UTC

Semifinal No. 2 Feb. 20 3:10 am - 9:10pm UTC

Bronze-medal game Feb. 21 2:40 pm - 8:40pm UTC

Gold-medal game Feb. 22 8:10 am - 2:40 pm UTC

2026 Winer Olympic Men's ice hockey tournament Format

No teams will be eliminated after the preliminary round. All 12 teams will be ranked and the group winners and the second-place team with the best record will qualify for the quarter-finals directly while the other eight teams play a qualification round. From there, it will be elimination playoffs, with the medal games being played on 21 (bronze) and 22 (gold) February.

Who won the last men's winter Olympics ice hockey gold medal?

Finland is the defending Olympic champion from the Beijing bubble in 2022, when the NHL pulled out because of pandemic-related scheduling issues, and the Russians won in 2018. Canada has won the past two involving NHL players, and GM Doug Armstrong hopes for a third.

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