St. Dmitry Svatkovsky, the General Manager of SKA Arena in St. Petersburg, outlined the project’s financial scope and its role in the broader Championship landscape. His statement frames the project as a key milestone and a beacon for the city’s sports ambitions.
According to the official estimate, the total cost of SKA Arena stands at about 60 billion rubles, a figure released in the context of state expertise and project planning. Svatkovsky emphasized that the investment reflects the stadium’s ambition to become a premier venue for hockey and a catalyst for regional development, drawing attention to the scale of planning, materials, and infrastructure required to launch a facility of this magnitude.
Construction on SKA Arena has progressed since 2020, with work advancing through several phases to meet the planned inauguration. The venue officially received permission to operate on November 3, marking a pivotal transition from construction to active use. The complex covers a total area of 182.3 thousand square meters and is envisioned as the largest hockey stadium in the world, a claim that underscores its design ambition and the expected impact on the sport’s profile in the region. The arena’s ice surface is designed to accommodate up to 21.5 thousand spectators, creating space for a vibrant game-day atmosphere and a wide range of events beyond hockey alone.
At present, the army team representing St. Petersburg competes at the Ice Palace stadium within the city. The Ice Palace seats 12.5 thousand spectators, offering a substantial, though smaller, capacity compared to SKA Arena. The movement of teams to SKA Arena is anticipated to expand local entertainment options and further elevate the city’s status as a hub for elite ice sports and large-scale sporting events.
The first test match at SKA Arena is scheduled for November 26, giving student teams a chance to showcase their talents on this new stage. The events will feature teams such as the Stars of the Neva and St. Knights of St. Petersburg, with players drawn from approximately 20 city university clubs participating in the Student Hockey League championship. The upcoming test games are expected to provide valuable insights into the arena’s acoustics, sightlines, and overall spectator experience, while allowing participating players to adjust to the venue’s unique characteristics.
In moments of reflection about the sport’s greats, Evgeni Malkin has weighed in on the perennial debate about who is the better player, comparing Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. The exchange serves as a reminder of the sport’s enduring rivalries, the quality of talent that fills top rosters, and the way these conversations galvanize fan engagement—both in St. Petersburg and beyond. The dialogue illustrates how contemporary hockey culture blends elite performance with the sport’s storied history, drawing attention to the players who shape the game’s modern narrative.