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The NHL has officially agreed to allow its players to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The league and its players' association announced the finalized deal on Wednesday, July 2.
The Olympic return is hardly a surprise after the NHL replaced its 2025 all-star game with the 4 Nations Face-Off in February to promote the Olympic comeback. The tournament featured the US, Canada, Finland, and Sweden in the first "best-on-best" international hockey competition since the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The 4 Nations Face-Off was notable for the tensions between the US and Canada. The longtime fierce rivalry was further fueled by President Donald Trump's inflammatory threats about wanting Canada to become the "51st state."
A group stage game between the teams started with three fights in the first nine seconds, shortly after the Montreal crowd largely booed the US national anthem. While the US won that showdown, Canada defeated Team USA in the championship game in an overtime thriller at TD Garden in Boston.
NHL Players Association executive director Marty Walsh said fans can expect that same intensity near the Italian Alps.
"Best-on-best international tournaments like the Olympics provide the opportunity to create extraordinary moments for our players and fans alike," said Walsh. "The return to the Olympics marks a monumental moment for hockey and we thank our partners—the NHL, IOC, and IIHF—for this collaborative process. The skill and passion on display in Milano Cortina will build off the excitement of the 4 Nations Face-Off and continue our game's global growth."
The International Ice Hockey Federation celebrated the NHL's move.
"This is a tremendous day for international ice hockey and for fans across the globe," said IIHF president Luc Tardif. "At the initiative of the IIHF, we have worked collaboratively with [the] NHL and NHLPA in close collaboration with the IOC and Milano Cortina Organizing Committee to make this a reality. Bringing the best players in the world back to the Olympic Games in 2026 is a major step forward for our sport."
NHL players didn't compete in the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, after failing to reach a deal with the IIHF and the International Olympic Committee, Reuters reported. The league planned to release players for Beijing 2022, but ultimately opted out of the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commissioner Gary Bettman said he's pleased to see NHL players once again skating, shooting, and checking for gold.
"Olympic participation will showcase the skill and talent of NHL players on an international stage," said Bettman. "We are proud to collaborate with the IIHF, NHLPA, and IOC to bring the best hockey players in the world to the Olympics and make this happen in a way that benefits the game globally."
The tournament's 12 teams are set and split into three groups:
- Group A: Canada, Czechia, France, and Switzerland
- Group B: Finland, Italy, Slovakia, and Sweden
- Group C: Denmark, Germany, Latvia, United States
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said all Olympic games will be played on NHL-sized 200 feet-by-85 feet ice sheets. Larger international rinks have been used for every tournament except Vancouver 2010.
The deal "contemplates" but doesn't guarantee NHL players will compete at the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.
"We have every intention of going to 2030," Daly said. "We expect to be there, but for better or worse, that's a whole different negotiation."
Milano Cortina 2026 will begin on Friday, February 6, and end on Sunday, February 22.
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