IIHF announces 2026 Olympic hockey schedule
Hockey fans, mark your calendars for Feb. 19 and Feb. 22, 2026.
Those are the dates for the women's and men's gold-medal games at the 2026 Olympics in Milan, as announced by the IIHF on Tuesday.
The tournament is the first time NHL players will play at the Olympics since 2014. The 12 nations named an initial six to their roster Monday.
Here's the full breakdown of both schedules:
Men's tournament
Every team advances past group play. The four highest-ranked teams after the round robin advance straight to the quarterfinals, while the remaining eight nations play in a qualification playoff round based on their position in their group, points, and goal differential.
Group A
| Game | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland vs. France | Feb. 12 | 6:10 am |
| Canada vs. Czechia | Feb. 12 | 10:40 am |
| Czechia vs. France | Feb. 13 | 10:40 am |
| Canada vs. Switzerland | Feb. 13 | 3:10 pm |
| Czechia vs. Switzerland | Feb. 15 | 6:10 am |
| Canada vs. France | Feb. 15 | 10:40 am |
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.
Group B
| Game | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Finland vs. Slovakia | Feb. 11 | 10:40 am |
| Sweden vs. Italy | Feb. 11 | 3:10 pm |
| Sweden vs. Finland | Feb. 13 | 6:10 am |
| Slovakia vs. Italy | Feb. 13 | 6:10 am |
| Sweden vs. Slovakia | Feb. 14 | 6:10 am |
| Finland vs. Italy | Feb. 14 | 10:40 am |
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.
Group C
| Game | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| USA vs. Latvia | Feb. 12 | 3:10 pm |
| Germany vs. Denmark | Feb. 12 | 3:10 pm |
| Germany vs. Latvia | Feb. 14 | 6:10 am |
| USA vs. Denmark | Feb. 14 | 3:10 pm |
| Latvia vs. Denmark | Feb. 15 | 1:10 pm |
| USA vs. Germany | Feb. 15 | 3:10 pm |
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.
Knockout round
| Game | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff No. 1 | Feb. 17 | 6:10 am |
| Playoff No. 2 | Feb. 17 | 6:10 am |
| Playoff No. 3 | Feb. 17 | 10:40 am |
| Playoff No. 4 | Feb. 17 | 3:10 pm |
| Quarterfinal No. 1 | Feb. 18 | 6:10 am |
| Quarterfinal No. 2 | Feb. 18 | 8:10 am |
| Quarterfinal No. 3 | Feb. 18 | 10:40 am |
| Quarterfinal No. 4 | Feb. 18 | 3:10 pm |
| Semifinal No. 1 | Feb. 20 | 10:40 am |
| Semifinal No. 2 | Feb. 20 | 3:10 am |
| Bronze-medal game | Feb. 21 | 2:40 pm |
| Gold-medal game | Feb. 22 | 8:10 am |
Women's tournament
Every team in Group A advances to the quarterfinals. The top three teams after the round robin in Group B go through to the final eight.
Group A
| Game | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| USA vs. Czechia | Feb. 5 | 10:40 am |
| Canada vs. Finland | Feb. 5 | 3:10 pm |
| Czechia vs. Switzerland | Feb. 6 | 8:40 am |
| USA vs. Finland | Feb. 7 | 10:40 am |
| Canada vs. Switzerland | Feb. 7 | 3:10 pm |
| Finland vs. Czechia | Feb. 8 | 3:10 pm |
| USA vs. Switzerland | Feb. 9 | 2:10 pm |
| Canada vs. Czechia | Feb. 9 | 3:10 pm |
| Canada vs. USA | Feb. 10 | 2:10 pm |
| Finland vs. Switzerland | Feb. 10 | 3:10 pm |
As per usual, Canada versus the United States is the headliner of group play Feb. 10. Canada took back the gold medal in 2022 after the Americans triumphed in 2018. The two nations have met in the gold-medal game in all but one iteration of the tournament.
Finland-Czechia is a budding rivalry in the women's game and has been the World Championship bronze-medal contest for two straight years.
Group B
| Game | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden vs. Germany | Feb. 5 | 6:10 am |
| France vs. Italy | Feb. 5 | 8:40 am |
| Japan vs. France | Feb. 6 | 6:10 am |
| Germany vs. Japan | Feb. 7 | 6:10 am |
| Sweden vs. Italy | Feb. 7 | 8:40 am |
| Sweden vs. France | Feb. 8 | 10:40 am |
| Japan vs. Italy | Feb. 9 | 6:10 am |
| Germany vs. France | Feb. 9 | 10:40 am |
| Sweden vs. Japan | Feb. 10 | 6:10 am |
| Germany vs. Italy | Feb. 10 | 10:40 am |
Sweden and Germany are favored to advance to the quarterfinals. Italy, with an influx of North American imports, could prove a tough out. The No. 1 spot in Group B is significant, as that nation would likely avoid Canada and the USA in the quarters.
Knockout round
| Game | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterfinal No. 1 | Feb. 13 | 10:40 am |
| Quarterfinal No. 2 | Feb. 13 | 3:10 pm |
| Quarterfinal No. 3 | Feb. 14 | 10:40 am |
| Quarterfinal No. 4 | Feb. 14 | 3:10 pm |
| Semifinal No. 1 | Feb. 16 | 10:40 am |
| Semifinal No. 2 | Feb. 16 | 3:10 am |
| Bronze-medal game | Feb. 19 | 8:40 am |
| Gold-medal game | Feb. 19 | 1:10 pm |