WASHINGTON — Athletes from across the world have begun to gather in Beijing as the 2022 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 4 approaches.
Because of China's strict COVID protocols, the festivities will look quite different compared to most of the previous Olympics because there will be just limited fans allowed to cheer on from the stands.
Here is everything you need to know about the Opening Ceremony and how you can watch it live on TV and online.
When is the 2022 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?
The Beijing Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday, Feb. 4. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. local time in China, which is 6:30 a.m. ET or 3:30 a.m. PT.
You will once again be able to watch the Opening Ceremony live and in primetime later in the evening.
Time difference between US and Beijing
Beijing, China is currently 13 hours ahead of the east coast of the United States.
Where can I stream the Olympics Opening Ceremony?
NBC Olympics will be providing exclusive coverage of the games in the U.S. from start to finish. The Opening Ceremony will be available for live-streaming on the NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com and Peacock.
LINK: NBC Olympics live stream for live Opening Ceremony broadcast
LINK: NBC Olympics live stream for Primetime Opening Ceremony broadcast
When is the Opening Ceremony on TV?
Just like the Tokyo Olympics, the Opening Ceremony will be broadcast live on NBC across all time zones, with coverage starting at 6:30 a.m. ET/3:30 a.m. PT.
An enhanced version of the festivities will re-air in Primetime starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will then re-air at 12:38 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, Feb. 5.
What is the theme of the Opening Ceremony?
According to famed Chinese director Zhang Yimou, the appointed director of the Opening Ceremony, the event will showcase China entering a new era as it becomes a major player on the global world stage.
“In 2008, the Olympics was a brilliant stage and chance for our country to show ourselves,” Zhang told Xinhua, a Chinese state-media news agency. “It’s different now. China’s status in the world, the image of the Chinese, and the rise of our national status, everything is totally different now.”
Zhao Weidong, head of the 2022 Olympic organizing committee’s media department, told Hong Kong's South China Morning Post that the Opening Ceremony will present three major themes related to showcasing China’s willingness to pursue world peace, though he did not elaborate on what those specific themes would be.
The Olympic motto this year is “faster, higher, stronger - together” and the official slogan is “together for a shared future."
Where is the Opening Ceremony?
The ceremony will be held at Beijing National Stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest," which was originally constructed for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.