Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympics: ice hockey tournament schedule
The International Paralympic Committee has unveiled the schedule for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics ice hockey tournament, an event in which the Italian national team will also be present. Between March 7 and March 15, 2026 at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena will see the staging of a highly anticipated tournament, in which the United States (defending five-ring champions, four consecutive golds since Vancouver 2010) and Canada (two silver medals in a row between 2014 and 2018) will open a new chapter in their great rivalry with, however, other formations, including the Azzurri, determined to surprise.
After the Paralympic qualifying tournament held in Norway, which promoted Japan and Slovakia, the eight participating formations were divided into two groups: Group A with the United States of America, China, Germany and Italy and Group B with Canada, the Czech Republic, Japan and Slovakia. Each team will play three matches, so for Italy in order matches with the United States, China and Germany, then based on the standings of the two groupings will proceed to the knockout stage, the most anticipated. The top two placers will advance to the semifinals, while third and fourth will enter the bracket for placings from fifth to eighth place. Then between Thursday, March 12, and Sunday, March 15, space will be given to dry challenges culminating in the final for the gold medal scheduled from 4:05 p.m.
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It will be a path as complicated as it is fascinating for Mirko Bianchi’s Italian national team, which in its Group A will be up against the gold-favorite United States of America and two teams against which to try to play for passage to the semifinals: China is solid but not unbeatable, and Germany has been faced many times in recent seasons and is a rival within the Azzurri’s reach.
Paralympics Milan Cortina 2026, the schedule of the ice hockey tournament:
Sunday, March 7, 2026
10:05 a.m. – Czech Republic vs Japan
13:35 – China vs Germany
17:05 – United States of America vs Italy
20:35 – Canada vs Slovakia
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Monday, March 9, 2026
10:05 – China vs Italy
13:35 – Czech Republic vs Slovakia
17:05 – Germany vs United States of America
20:35 – Japan vs Canada
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
10:05 – Italy vs Germany
13:35 – United States of America vs China
17:05 – Canada vs Czech Republic
20:35 – Slovakia vs Japan
Thursday, March 12, 2026
14:35 – Playoff 1 for 5th-8th place placings
19:05 – Playoff 2 for 5th-8th place placings
Friday, March 13, 2026
14:35 – Semifinal 1
7:05 p.m. – Semifinal 2
Saturday, March 14, 2026
12:05 – Match for 7th-8th place placement
16:05 – Match for 5th-6th place placement
Sunday, March 15, 2026
12:05 – Final third-fourth place match
16:05 – Final first-second place
