With everyone talking about the Beijing Olympics, you might be forgiven for thinking we have travelled back in time to the year 2008. But this year Beijing is set to host the 24th Winter Olympic Games. Here is everything you need to know about watching the games in Germany.

The 2022 Winter Olympic Games

The 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing are upon us. On February 4, 2.871 athletes from 91 different nations will file into China’s National Stadium (also known as the Bird’s Nest), shortly after the opening ceremony officially kicks off the Games. The Games will last two weeks, with the closing ceremony scheduled for February 20.

The opening ceremony is due to start at 8pm in China, which is 1pm in Germany. Anyone who watched the 2008 Olympic opening ceremony will know what to expect from this year’s event. The spectacle is touted to include lots of traditional singing, dancing, music and fireworks.

In Germany, coverage of the event begins at 12.10pm on the public broadcaster ZDF.

Where can I watch the Games in Germany?

The public broadcasters ARD and ZDF will be sharing coverage of the Olympics, while Eurosport will also be covering all of the events. The events on ARD and ZDF can be watched on TV, as well as on their respective streaming services on the internet or via mobile phones. 

Eurosport's news and short videos can be viewed for free in German-speaking countries, while live streams and on-demand footage requires a paid subscription, that also includes other features like behind-the-scenes segments and a daily Olympic Show. 

Due to the time difference between Germany and China, most days begin their schedule at around 2am CET and usually finish at around 5pm - but with the weather so grey outside, it could be a good excuse to park yourself in front of the TV!

The 2022 German Winter Olympics team

This year, a total of 149 German athletes (98 men and 51 women) will compete in 109 events across 15 different sports. The German team will also take part in seven new competitions including snowboard cross, ski freestyle and women’s monobob.

A couple of notable German athletes will compete in this year’s Games. Eric Frenzel and Johannes Rydzek, who both won gold in the Nordic Combined event in 2018, will return this year for another shot at glory. Several members of Germany’s Ice Hockey team, which won silver in 2018, will also be returning. This includes Dominik Kahun, who is currently playing for SC Bern in Switzerland after playing for three years in the NHL. Fellow NHL veteran Tobias Rieder will also be joining the team.

Are Germany even expected to win any medals?

Actually, yes! Germany performed exceedingly well at the 2018 winter Olympics in PyeongChang, picking up a total of 31 medals (14 gold, 10 silver and seven bronze). That year, the German team excelled in ice track events, winning 11 medals. They also won seven medals in the Biathlon, five medals in the Nordic combined and four medals in Ski jumping. The ice hockey team also made it to the final, only being beaten by the Russian team after a hard-fought final.