Beijing, Almaty Agree on One Thing: 2022 Olympic Games Dates

The two rivals bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games agree on one thing: when it should be held.

Clear your calendars for February 4-20, 2022 because that's when the Games will be held, regardless of host. The dates have already caused a bit of controversy, as the sham 2022 World Cup in Qatar could be scheduled at that same time. The World Cup, normally a summer event, will be held in the winter or late autumn to avoid the sweltering heat of the Middle Eastern summer.

Interestingly, that means that the Games will fall during the Spring Festival holiday, with the traditional big bang of the first night falling on February 1 that year. Looks like a lot of people would be getting holiday pay in 2022.

Both cities, the last two of an original field of six, have now submitted their official bids. The next step will be an inspection tour of the two cities by International Olympic Committee in March, followed by a final decision, in Kuala Lumpur, on July 31.

Image: The Beijinger