What time is the Winter Olympics opening ceremony? TV channel and how to watch

Everything you need to know about Beijing 2022

Beijing will become the first city to host both a Summer and Winter Olympic Games (Getty Images)

History will be made at the 2022 Winter Olympics when Beijing becomes the first city to host summer and winter Olympic events.

The city was the host of the 2008 Summer Games and 14 years later will hold the Winter version, to be held in China for the first time.

Four existing venues utilised in 2008 have been repurposed for 2022, and the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, will again be the destination for the opening and closing ceremonies.

The 2022 Winter Olympics will start just six months after the conclusion of Tokyo 2020, which was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and will be followed by the Winter Paralympics.

Here’s everything you need to know about Beijing 2022:

What time is the Winter Olympics opening ceremony?

The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday 4 February at the Beijing National Stadium, with proceedings due to get underway at about midday GMT.

When do the events start?

While the opening ceremony will be the official start of the Winter Olympics, there is action in curling, freestyle skiing and ice hockey before the ceremonial start. The round robin phase of the curling mixed doubles kick starts the Games on Wednesday 2 February.

When do the Games end?

The Closing Ceremony is scheduled for Sunday 20 February, with medals to be won in bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling and ice hockey on the final day in Beijing.

When are the Winter Paralympics?

The 2022 Winter Paralympics will also be held in Beijing and follow the Olympics, running between 4 March and 13 March.

What is the time difference?

The Beijing time zone, China Standard Time, is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time for those in the United Kingdom. It is 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, 14 hours ahead of US Central time, 16 hours ahead of US Pacific Standard time.

How do I watch it on TV in the UK?

Eurosport and the BBC share coverage of the Winter Olympics on TV in the United Kingdom. BBC Sport will broadcast more than 300 hours of live coverage across BBC One and BBC Two, while extra action will be shown on the BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport website.

In addition to extensive TV coverage on Eurosport, every moment from the Winter Olympics will be available to watch live on discovery+.

Why is there a diplomatic boycott of Beijing 2022?

Several competing nations, including the United States, Great Britain and Australia, have announced that they will not be sending delegates - typically members of a royal family or high-ranking politicians - to the 2022 Winter Olympics. This is due to widespread allegations of Chinese atrocities against the Uighur community.

Will fans be allowed to attend?

Organisers announced in January that only “selected” fans will be allowed to attend events in Beijing, and tickets will not go on sale to the general public.