WPIH digital channels hit unprecedented heights at Milano Cortina 2026

World Para Ice Hockey (WPIH) digital channels have reached unprecedented figures during the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games across Instagram, Facebook, Threads and X.  

There were 30.5 million video views, more than 113 times higher than during the previous Winter Paralympics at Beijing 2022. Content impressions reached 26.5 millions – eight times the total from four years ago. 

The number of engagements also soared, rising tenfold from Beijing 2022 to 783,800. 

But it was not only World Para Ice Hockey’s digital platforms that saw remarkable growth during Milano Cortina 2026. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s coverage delivered the most-watched Para ice hockey game in history: the gold-medal clash on 15 March, in which USA defeated Canada 6-2 to secure a fifth consecutive Paralympic title. 

The Milano Cortina 2026 final averaged 1.2 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, shattering the previous record of 869,000 set at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. 

In Canada, CBC/Radio-Canada’s digital and streaming platforms more than tripled their Beijing 2022 numbers, reaching 1.63 million streams.  

Across ten days, the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena delivered Paralympic Winter Games moments that will be remembered for years to come.

Here are five of them: https://t.co/iy3eLfb9V1@paralympics @milanocortina26 pic.twitter.com/NC5DarVeXt

— Para Ice Hockey (@paraicehockey) March 20, 2026

Milano Cortina 2026 also set new record attendances for Para ice hockey at the Winter Paralympics. A crowd of 8,992 fans watched Italy vs USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, surpassing the previous record of 8,462 from Salt Lake City 2002. That mark lasted only eight days: the gold-medal game drew a sold-out crowd of 11,500 fans, establishing a new all-time high. 

“These numbers are nothing short of extraordinary. From our digital channels to global broadcast partners and the electric atmosphere inside the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Milano Cortina 2026 has shown just how far Para ice hockey has come,” said Michelle Laflamme, World Para Ice Hockey Senior Manager. “They reflect the sport’s evolution, the incredible skill of our athletes, and the sheer entertainment Para ice hockey delivers every single game.” 

“We are growing at a pace we’ve never seen before and welcoming audiences who are discovering Para ice hockey and the Paralympic Winter Games for the very first time,” Laflamme added. 

“With a new four‑year cycle ahead, we’re committed – together with our Content and Communications team and all our collaborators – to pushing the sport to even greater heights. We hope these record‑breaking results will inspire new partners to join us, from grassroots development to major events, across both the men’s and women’s game.”