live blog
We serve exclusive insights, a lot of service, the most important decisions, special moments, curiosities and funny things from the Olympic Games in Italy in the live blog.
1:03 p.m
Second Downhill training: Three Italians in front
Italian ski racers raise hopes of a medal in the men’s downhill. In the second training session, in which, as expected, not all starters drove the almost 3.5 kilometer long Stelvio in Bormio at full speed until the end, three local heroes took the first three places. Mattia Casse was ahead of Florian Schieder (+0.45 seconds) and Kitzbühel winner Giovanni Franzoni (+0.87). The men’s downhill on Saturday (11:30 a.m., live on ARD) is the first medal decision in Alpine skiing at these Winter Games.
12:53 p.m
Calculation error in curling – game ended early
In the preliminary round duel at the Olympic curling tournament between the mixed doubles from South Korea and Sweden, there was a strange mishap on Wednesday evening: When the score was 10:3 for the Swedish team, the referees surprisingly declared the match over, although two rounds, so-called ends, were still outstanding. The Korean team could theoretically have turned the game around, but accepted the referees’ decision – much to the confusion of the Swedish duo. After the mistake became clear, the Swedes offered to continue playing, but the Koreans accepted defeat.
On Thursday morning both duos went straight back onto the ice. The South Korean double lost against Italy 4:8, the Swedes beat the Czech Republic 7:4 and won their second tournament victory. The game is available here in the re-live.
12:11 p.m
Ice hockey star Leon Draisaitl: medal dream is alive
And while the German ice hockey players have already started the tournament (here in the Sportschau live stream), Leon Draisaitl, Germany’s NHL star and standard bearer at the opening ceremony on Friday, is dreaming of the gold medal. Even if the German national ice hockey team doesn’t go into the tournament as favorites.
12:00 p.m
Now it starts: the first game for the Germans Ice hockey women
The DEB women meet Sweden in the first group game in Milan. The game in the Sportschau live stream.
11:39 am
Arrival by private jet: criticism Speed skating star Jutta Leerdam
She is one of THE stars of the Dutch Olympic team: speed skater Jutta Leerdam. The 27-year-old won the silver medal over 1,000 meters at the 2022 Winter Games and wants to go for gold in Italy – and is considered one of the biggest social media stars at these games: she has over five million followers on Instagram alone.
Arrived in a private jet and in action on the Italian ice: speed skater Jutta Leerdam is training for her Olympic start
But it is not completely undisputed. She traveled to Milan in luxury in a private jet – including customized cupcakes, which she then shared on her social media channels. This caused criticism from some journalists in her home country. Valentijn Driessen said in the daily newspaper “De Telegraaf”: “You almost only see Jutta. You could almost think that she is the only representative of the Netherlands.” Things get serious for Leerdam on Monday, February 9th: Then it’s all about the medals over 1,000 meters (live from 10:05 a.m. on ARD).
11:27 am
I’m packing my suitcase…
…and take with you: Team D clothing, sports equipment AND a three-legged chair?! We asked the German Olympians about the most unnecessary thing in their suitcase. It shows exactly what bobsledder Johannes Lochner, snowboarder Ramona Hofmeister and ski racer Simon Jocher have with them this sports show video on Instagram.
10:53 am
Security glitch in the Olympic Village
According to media reports, there has been a security breach in the Olympic Village for the Winter Games in Milan. Despite all checks, the sanitary facilities in several dozen rooms in the athletes’ accommodation were deliberately damaged by unknown persons, reports the Italian newspaper “Corriere della Sera”, citing the police. According to investigators’ findings, the showers in a total of 70 rooms in three different buildings were damaged between mid-December and mid-January. We’re talking about vandalism or sabotage. An anti-terrorism unit from the Milan public prosecutor’s office also took part in the investigation.
10:31 am
Olympia of long distances
The Summer Games in Paris in 2024 were an Olympics of short distances. However, there can hardly be any question of short distances at the Winter Games in Northern Italy. The most geographically distributed Winter Games in history await, with journeys between the competition venues sometimes lasting several hours. For example, there are already more than 400 kilometers between the two main towns of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. A challenge for organizers, athletes and the numerous Olympic fans who arrive. There is even more data and facts about the 2026 Winter Olympics in our FAQ.
10:04 am
Ice hockey briefly explained
This afternoon the German ice hockey women start the Winter Games with the group game against Sweden (from 12:10 p.m. in the Sportschau live stream. Fast, physical, tactical: In ice hockey, goals and team play are decisive. In the video we explain the rules, game mode and what counts at the 2026 Olympics.
Feb 4, 2026 • 11:06 p.m
This is what awaits you on Thursday, February 5, 2026
From a German perspective, the eyes are on the national ice hockey players on Thursday. The DEB women will meet Sweden in the first group game in Milan from 12:10 p.m. (in the Sportschau live stream). The men complete their second downhill training in Bormio. The women were supposed to train for the first time, but too much snow led to the cancellation.
In curling, further mixed doubles games are planned without German participation. The ski jumpers will test the ski jump in Predazzo for the first time in the evening during their first training session. The women are on duty at 5 p.m., the men from 8 p.m. Qualification in the men’s snowboard big air starts at 7:30 p.m.
The sports show schedule of competitions can be found here.
Feb 4, 2026 • 10:15 p.m
Snoop Dogg jogs to Milan with a torch
Snoop Dogg is back again. Two days before the official opening of the Winter Games, the American rap star walks through Gallarate near Milan with the Olympic torch. Numerous onlookers and some camera teams accompanied him.
Snoop Dogg had already appeared several times at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. In Milan and Cortina, Snoop Dogg is the first honorary coach in the history of the US team. The US Olympic Committee announced this in December. “The athletes of the USA are the real stars”said Coach Snoop. “I’m just here to cheer them on, motivate them and maybe give some advice from the side.”
Feb 4, 2026 • 9:52 p.m
Narrow test match victory for Germans National ice hockey team
Without the NHL cracks around standard bearer Leon Draisaitl, the German ice hockey team barely beat hosts Italy at the Olympic dress rehearsal in Bolzano. National coach Harold Kreis’ selection won the only test for the Winter Games 4:3 (2:0, 1:2, 1:1) after a good start. On Thursday, the entourage of the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) will travel to Milan, and the majority of the players from North America are scheduled to arrive in the Olympic Village on Saturday.
In addition to superstar Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), who flies earlier and will be the first German ice hockey player to carry the flag at an Olympic opening ceremony on Friday evening, Philipp Grubauer (Seattle Kraken), Moritz Seider (Detroit Red Wings), Tim Stützle (Ottawa Senators), John-Jason Peterka (Utah Mammoth), Nico Sturm (Minnesota Wild) and Draisaitl’s teammate Joshua Samanski were also not available against the Italians available.
Feb 4, 2026 • 7:13 p.m
Power failure during Curling start in Cortina
Two days before the official opening ceremony, the curling tournament started in Cortina d’Ampezzo – with an incident. Suddenly the lights went out in the first end of the parallel mixed doubles games between Sweden and Korea, Great Britain and Norway, Canada and the Czech Republic and Estonia and Switzerland. A power outage at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium caused an interruption that lasted several minutes. The matches could then continue.
Feb 4, 2026 • 6:32 p.m
First fall at the Winter Games: diagnosis confirmed
The Norwegian ski racer Fredrik Möller caused the first serious fall in the Alpine Olympic competitions early at noon. The 25-year-old fell during the first official downhill training in Bormio and had to be taken off the slopes by helicopter. During the day, team doctor Trond Floberghagen announced that Möller had suffered a dislocated shoulder and had already started rehab. A year ago, Möller triumphed in the Super-G on the Olympic course.
The fastest in the first training run was the American Ryan Cochran-Siegle, followed by Giovanni Franzoni from Italy and World Cup dominator Marco Odermatt from Switzerland. The first Alpine medals of these Winter Games will be at stake in the men’s downhill on Saturday, which can be seen live from 10 a.m. in the sports show.
Feb 4, 2026 • 6:13 p.m
First Downhill training of women in Cortina canceled
Heavy snowfall in Cortina d’Ampezzo has led to the cancellation of the first women’s downhill training. The first of a total of three training runs was actually supposed to take place on Thursday on the Olympia track. Since it had snowed heavily in Cortina in the last few days and further snowfall is forecast for tomorrow, the International Ski Association (FIS) decided to cancel. The other two training sessions are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, the medal decision will take place on Sunday (February 8th, from 11:30 a.m., live in the stream).
Feb 4, 2026 • 5:35 p.m
German standard bearers are standing
Germany has decided: Ice hockey star Leon Draisaitl and ski jumper Katharina Schmid will each carry the German flag at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Italy. The duo prevailed in the election of fans and the German Olympic team, as the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Feb 4, 2026 • 5:22 p.m
When do which competitions take place?
In terms of sport, the Winter Games start before the opening ceremony. The schedule for all competitions, all qualifications and all medal decisions can be found here at a glance.
