Snow is forecast in Miami on Friday night… inside the home of the Miami Marlins, at least.
The NHL, as part of festivities planned for the 2026 Winter Classic between the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers, is pulling out all the stops.
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The 2026 Winter Classic between the Panthers and Rangers takes place in MiamiCredit: Getty
On January 2, the defending Stanley Cup champion will head 36 miles south to LoanDepot Park to host the Sunshine State’s first-ever outdoor game.
New renderings released for the historic clash between the Panthers and Rangers, whose Matt Rempe got into a brutal fight on the ice two months ago, reveal this year’s theme will combine snow and sand to create an eye-catching setting for ice hockey inside an MLB ballpark.
First images of 2026 Winter Classic revealed
The ice is already down inside LoanDepot Park, and to the left of the rink, the field will be turned into a typical sandy South Florida winter scene, with flamingos, umbrella beach chairs, a lifeguard shack and a street hockey rink on display.
To the right of the ice, the field will feature a more traditional snowy winter, with pelicans, snow-topped beach chairs, a lifeguard stand equipped with a snowplow and a synthetic ice rink.
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While palm trees appear on both sides of the field, the theme has been chosen to ‘highlight the convergence of the annual homage paid to the game’s cold-weather origins and the South Florida warm-weather setting for this season’s NHL Winter Classic.’
During the clash between the Panthers and Rangers, ‘beachgoers’ will be seen sunbathing and enjoying the warm weather climate to the left of the rink, while others will make snow angels and take part in snow fights on the right.
And those watching from inside the ballpark can expect to see further flurry of cold weather in Miami, for what will be the first time in almost half a century.
“You may get snowed on,” Steve Mayer, the NHL’s president for events and content, said in a message to the 30,000 fans who are expected to attend the game.
NHL fans react to Miami hosting outdoor clash between Panthers and Rangers
But while the setting for the Winter Classic looks exciting, fans were split over the decision to hand Florida the annual game.
“This is dumb as f***. The Winter Classic should be played in the snow, not 80+ degree Miami weather,” one wrote on X.
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This year’s Winter Classic theme mixes South Florida weather with traditional snowCredit: Getty
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Fans have been split over the location of the 2026 gameCredit: Getty
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The Winter Classic will be the first outdoor NHL game in FloridaCredit: Getty
“Not a Winter Classic. Stadium Series game. Compared to other Winter Classics, this makes zero sense. Completely ruined the vibe of a ‘Winter Classic’ — wtf is this?” another asked.
A third said: “Dear God this is HORRIBLE. Keep the Winter Classic rotating through the original six franchises. This doesn’t belong in Florida.”
“This is stupid,” a fourth concluded.
Others, though, were excited about the prospect of the game taking place in Miami.
“The set up of that stadium looks amazing. This will have some great atmosphere,” one fan wrote, while another made reference to the Grand Theft Auto game series, and said: “Feels like Vice City in there.”
What is the history of the NHL Winter Classic?
The NHL Winter Classic is a regular-season game played outdoors, at either a baseball or American football stadium.
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The iconic Fenway Park has hosted a Winter Classic in the pastCredit: Getty
Back in 2003, the league first played an outdoor game — the Heritage Classic — between the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers in Canada.
Four years later, the NHL announced the inaugural Winter Classic, which was played on New Year’s Day in 2008.
Since then, the Winter Classic has been played every season – usually on January 1 or 2 — with the exception of 2013 and 2021.
There was also no Winter Classic held in the 2025 calendar year, with last season’s game played on New Year’s Eve in Chicago.
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Last season’s Winter Classic took place at Wrigley Field in ChicagoCredit: Getty
Later this week, the classic will touch down in Miami, bringing snow and ice to South Florida in an NHL first.
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