The 2026 NHL Winter Classic will be held at loanDepot Park, the home of the Miami Marlins, on January 2, 2026.
Since January of 2008, the National Hockey League has started a new tradition that keeps hockey fans excited to this day. Going into a new year means not only writing resolutions, seeing fireworks, having fun with friends and family, opening champagne, but also an outdoor hockey game.
For years, people were dreaming and joking about going to a hockey game in tank tops, shorts, flip-flops, and bucket hats, straight from the beach. So, 32 years later, the league made a historical announcement in January of 2025. The Sunshine State will host outdoor games for the first time ever in 2026: the Winter Classic between the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers in Miami on January 2, and the Stadium Series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins in Tampa on February 1.
The Winter Classic is a unique event as it is, but hosting it in South Florida makes it even more extraordinary. The NHL is used to setting high goals: the Four Nations Face-Off tournament, the World Cup, the Heritage Stadium Series, and the Global Series in Europe and Australia. But it has never organized an event in a humid, warm, and summer-like environment. One reason the event will take place at a baseball stadium (loanDepot Park) rather than a football arena (Hard Rock Stadium) is that it has a climate-controlled, retractable roof. It will be used before the game to cover the installed ice and keep it cold.
The Miami weather is pleasant in January with highs of 74°F and lows of 65°F. Many “snowbirds” from Canada and New York spend their winters in Florida. But it’s not necessarily great weather for ice hockey. This matter makes it more interesting and challenging. Surely, the NHL will share more details about the entire preparation process after the matchup. It will also be a good learning experience and practice before another outdoor game happens in Tampa.