Ice hockey: How to qualify for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games

Find out everything you need to know about the Olympic qualification system for ice hockey, including the number of athletes in each event and key dates.

5 minBy Grace Goulding

Ice Hockey

(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The road to the Milano Cortina 2026 ice hockey tournament is already underway, as nations battle fiercely for their place on the grandest stage in the sport.

The competition will unfold over 18 thrilling days at the Milano Rho and Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arenas, hosting the world’s top talent in both the men’s and women’s tournaments.

A total of 530 athletes across 22 teams will lace up their skates with one goal in mind: to claim Olympic gold.

In the women’s tournament, all eyes will be on the legendary rivalry between the USA and Canada, a showdown that has shaped nearly every Olympic and world championship final in the sport’s history.

On the men’s side, defending champions Finland will face fierce competition, with Team USA hungry to reclaim their place on the international podium. Adding to the excitement, NHL stars will make their long-awaited return to the Olympic stage for the first time since Sochi 2014, bringing a whole new level of intensity and skill to the ice.

As hockey continues its storied history at the Games, which began in Antwerp 1920 for men and Nagano 1998 for women, this edition promises to deliver unforgettable moments.

Find out everything you need to know about the Olympic qualification system in ice hockey, including the qualification timeline and the number of athletes in each event.

Milano Cortina 2026 Men’s Final Olympic Ice Hockey Qualification preview: Full schedule and how to follow the action

Don’t miss the Olympic Winter Games in 2026 in Italy! 🏂❄️🎿 First tickets go live on 6<sup>th</sup> February 2025 and you have to register now before 15<sup>th</sup> January to be part of this early access & secure the best tickets! 🎫

How to qualify for the ice hockey competition at Milano Cortina 2026

The ice hockey qualification process for Milano Cortina 2026 ensures a mix of direct entries based on world rankings and a series of qualification tournaments for both men’s and women’s teams.

Men’s Qualification

Direct Entry: The top eight teams from the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Ranking, along with the host nation, automatically qualify. If the host nation (Italy) is ranked in the top eight, the ninth-ranked team secures a spot. This accounts for nine teams qualifying directly.

Qualification Tournaments:

Round 1 (9–12 November 2023): Teams ranked 36 and below compete. The top three teams advance to Round 2.
Round 2 (14–17 December 2023): Teams ranked 27–35 and three qualifiers from Round 1 compete. The top three teams move to Round 3.
Round 3 (8–11 February 2024): Teams ranked 18–26 and three qualifiers from Round 2 compete. The top three teams advance to the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament.
Final Olympic Qualification Tournament (29 August–1 September 2024): Teams ranked 9–17 (or 10th–17th if Italy is in the top eight) and three qualifiers from Round 3 vie for the last three Olympic spots.

Women’s Qualification

Direct Entry: The top six teams from the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Ranking and the host nation qualify directly. If the host nation is in the top six, the seventh-ranked team also qualifies.

Qualification Tournaments:

Round 1 (7–10 November 2024): Teams ranked 25th and below compete. The top team advances to Round 2.
Round 2 (12–15 December 2024): Teams ranked 16–24 and the winner of Round 1 compete. The top three teams progress to the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament.
Final Olympic Qualification Tournament (6–9 February 2025): Teams ranked 7–15 (or 8th–15th if the host is in the top six) and three qualifiers from Round 2 battle for the last three Olympic spots.

How many athletes will compete in ice hockey at Milano Cortina 2026?

A total of 530 athletes (22 teams) will take part in the ice hockey competitions at Milano Cortina 2026 spread over the different events of the Olympic sports programme as follows.

There will be 12 teams (300 athletes) for the men and 10 teams (230 athletes) for the women, with the host country automatically securing two team quotas (one men one women).

Each NOC can only obtain one men's team quota and one women's team quota.

As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Milano Cortina Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Milano Cortina 2026.

Milano Cortina 2026 ice hockey competition format and schedule

The ice hockey at Milano Cortina 2026 progresses from group-stage play to knockout rounds, culminating in medal matches for both tournaments. The schedule is as follows: