2021 will be a thing of the past – the future is 2022! Sports fans will also get their money’s worth this year. In January it starts with the decision of the Four Hills Tournament. Ski fans should mark the penultimate weekend in January in their calendars. The Hahnenkamm weekend in Kitzbühel will take place from January 21 to 23. Usually the highlights in Kitzbühel are not just on the slopes. Numerous celebrities come to Kitzbühel every year. The veal sausage party at the Stanglwirt is particularly legendary. But due to the corona pandemic, it will not take place this year either.
Two days later, on January 25th, the no less legendary Schladming night slalom will take place. The new year also has a highlight to offer for tennis fans. The Australian Open will take place from January 17th to 30th. Dominic Thiem could also make a big comeback.
It starts on February 4th: The Olympic Winter Games in Beijing are taking place. What was intended as a great spectacle will probably have an extremely bland aftertaste. Due to the problematic human rights situation in China and the unclear situation surrounding tennis player Peng Shuai, some countries have already announced a diplomatic boycott. Of course, this has no consequences for the athletes. Austria is traditionally well represented in winter sports. So you can work out some medals this time as well.
However, the Austrian athletes have to forego support from home. Only Chinese fans will be able to enjoy the Olympic Winter Games live – thanks to Corona. A little tip on the side: you should set the alarm clock in the morning for certain competitions. The early bird catches the worm especially in figure skating and sometimes snowboarding. Otherwise you shouldn’t do anything else during your lunch break.
In February, however, not only the Winter Games are on the program. The Champions League anthem can also be heard again. Salzburg are in the eighth finals of the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history and face Bayern there. On February 16 at 9:00 p.m., the Red Bulls will first challenge the German record champions in the city of Mozart. On March 8th, the second leg will be in Munich (9 p.m.).
In March all eyes will be on the national team. The direct qualification for the World Cup did not succeed. The qualification was messed up. In the end, the ÖFB team had to be content with fourth place behind Denmark, Israel and Scotland. Definitely too little for the team’s potential and demands. After all, thanks to the victory in the Nations League through the play-off, there is still the possibility of booking a ticket to Qatar. On March 24th, the play-off semi-finals will be played away against Wales. If you pass, Franco Foda’s team will face the winner of the clash between Scotland and Ukraine.
But in addition to the play-offs and a possible participation in the World Cup, the ÖFB team is also challenged in the Nations League. The Austrian national team is dealing with real blasts: World champions France, vice-world champions Croatia and Denmark are the group opponents of the national team. On June 3, Austria will visit Croatia, before they will face Denmark on the 6th. On June 10, the Foda-Elf challenged France. In September there will be the second leg and a decision about group victory.
From May 9th to 15th, the Austrian national ice hockey team will fight for promotion at the B World Cup in Ljubljana. Since relegation at the A World Championship in Bratislava 2019, the ÖEHV team has not had the opportunity to get back into the pool of the best 16 nations. Due to the corona pandemic, no lower divisions were played. The Ice Hockey World Championship will take place in Russia in 2023. Roger Bader’s team really wants to be there again. Austria is facing Slovenia, Hungary, South Korea, Romania and France.
But May has a second highlight up its sleeve. The French Open is on the program from May 16 to June 5. However, Austrian tennis fans are also spoiled with top-class tennis in Austria. Another Erste Bank Open is on the agenda for October.
Motorsport fans shouldn’t do anything on the weekend of July 8th to 10th. The Formula 1 circus is a guest in Spielberg. In Styria, Verstappen, Hamilton & Co. will race for victory. It is not the only motorsport spectacle in Styria. From 19 to 21 August, the world’s fastest motorcyclists will be guests in Spielberg.
So in summer there is also a full program. The Wimbledon tournament will take place from June 27th to July 10th. The tennis tournament in Wimbledon is not only the oldest, but also the most prestigious tennis event in the world. Last year Novak Djokovic was crowned the winner. In the women’s category, Ashleigh Barty prevailed against the Czech Karolina Pliskova. In the men’s tournament, Djokovic is once again the top favorite in the tournament!
In addition to the Winter Olympics in February, the soccer World Cup in Qatar is definitely the second big highlight in 2022. From November 21st to December 18th, France will try to defend the title. As in Beijing, however, there is also a lot of background noise in Qatar. In any case, football fans have to get used to the fact that the World Cup will not take place in summer as usual. For many football fans, the motto is: mulled wine instead of beer! There are also human rights debates and boycott threats in Qatar. Amnesty International criticized the widespread violations of the rights of migrant workers. In any case, defending champions France, Germany and record winners Brazil are there.
Either way: 2022 will be exciting. Happy New Year and have a good sporting year!
