ROME, Dec 6, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The CEO of the 2026 Winter Olympics organising committee admitted on Saturday that there was still plenty to do for the venues with two months to go until the Milan-Cortina Games open.

"There is a lot of finishing to do around the venues, but it's normal, that's what we were expecting," said Andrea Varnier in Rome, where the Olympic flame will begin its journey around Italy on Saturday morning.

"With the relay starting, it's a lot of emotions that gives us the right energy to go on for the next 60 days, because there's still a lot of work to do in Milan and in the mountains."

The main concern for the Winter Olympics, which will run over February 6-22 in a vast area of northern Italy, is the Santa Giulia arena on the outskirts of Milan which is still a building site.

That arena is scheduled to host the bulk of the ice hockey tournament, during which stars of the world's biggest ice hockey League the NHL will return to the Games after a 12-year absence.

Organisers confirmed on Wednesday that a key test event for the arena will be held on January 9-11, with seven club matches being played on the rink over those three days.

"We knew about the delays of the hockey arena, and we are working with it, but now we are following the right pace, I believe it will be a beautiful, beautiful set for the hockey tournament," added Varnier.

"It has to be ready."

According to the latest figures released by Milano-Cortina 2026, 850,000 of the 1.4 million tickets that will be available for these Olympic Games have been sold.

"Ticket sales are going well, we are freeing lots of tickets every couple of weeks, and we see there is a very good reaction every time we do that, so we are happy," said Varnier.