Finlandia recovers from stomach bug to face US in women's hockey

The team is ready to take the ice after dealing with an illness outbreak.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The Finnish women's hockey team is set to face off against the United States in the Olympics after recovering from a stomach bug that affected several players. Both Finland and Switzerland had to deal with the illness outbreak, but are now ready to compete in their scheduled match on Saturday.

Why it matters

The women's hockey tournament is a marquee event at the Winter Olympics, and Finland is considered a top contender, so their ability to recover from the illness outbreak and field a healthy team is crucial to their medal hopes.

The details

Several Finnish players fell ill with a stomach bug in the days leading up to their Olympic matchup against the United States. The team had to manage the outbreak and ensure players were healthy enough to compete at the highest level.

  • The Finnish women's hockey team is set to play the United States on Saturday, February 8, 2026.

The players

Finland women's hockey team

A top contender in the women's hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

United States women's hockey team

The defending gold medalists in women's hockey, seeking to retain their title at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“We're just focused on getting healthy and ready to compete at our best against the Americans.”

— Riikka Välilä, Finnish women's hockey team captain

What’s next

The winner of the Finland-United States matchup will advance to the gold medal game of the women's hockey tournament.

The takeaway

The ability of the Finnish women's hockey team to overcome a stomach bug outbreak and field a healthy roster for their highly anticipated matchup against the defending champion United States demonstrates the resilience and determination of these elite athletes.