ARD and ZDF will broadcast the German games at the EuroHockey Championships 2023, the first European Hockey Championships in Germany for 12 years. This means that hockey is returning to public television after many years, even outside the Olympic Games. The games of the German national teams in the preliminary round and in the possible semi-finals will be shown in the live stream on sportstudio.de, on sportschau.de as well as in the media libraries of ARD and ZDF. Should the German teams reach the finals, they will be shown live on the linear programmes of ARD and ZDF.
"We are very pleased that the German games at the European Hockey Championship 2023 will be broadcast by ARD and ZDF. The connected coverage will put hockey back in a bigger spotlight and it was our goal from the beginning to take this step with the European Championship. The coverage of ARD and ZDF will help us to inspire sports fans for hockey who cannot come to the stadium. Overall, it is another important step for the medialisation of our sport," says Niclas Thiel, Commercial Director of the German Hockey Association.
"The German teams were already in very good shape at the last European Hockey Championships - both only just missed out on the gold medal. The fact that there is a European Championship at home in Germany this year certainly suits the teams. We are therefore particularly pleased to be able to accompany the women's hockey team live in this tournament, and perhaps there will then be a final with German participation live on Ersten on 26 August," says Axel Balkausky, ARD sports coordinator.
ZDF Head of Sports Yorck Polus adds: "At the home European Championships, Germany's hockey players can once again show what makes them a successful European hockey nation. On sportstudio.de we will broadcast the European Championship matches of the German men's team, which won the World Championship title in India in January. And if the German team also reaches the European Championship final, this can be seen live on ZDF on 27 August - on a broadcast day when sporting diversity characterises our coverage: with the final day of the World Championships in Athletics, with the World Canoe Championships, the Basketball World Championships and the Tour of Germany of the professional cyclists."
Six group matches and possible semi-finals in the livestream
The European Women's and Men's Hockey Championships will take place in Mönchengladbach from 18 to 27 August 2023. In the preliminary round, the German women's and men's national teams will each play three group matches. The women will face England, Ireland and Scotland in Group B. World champions Germany will face France, the Netherlands and Wales in Group B of the men's competition. The group matches of the German women's team can be seen in the live stream on sportschau.de and in the ARD Mediathek, those of the German men in the live stream on sportstudio.de and in the ZDFmediathek. If the German teams finish first or second in their group after the three group matches, this means direct qualification for the semi-finals. Fans can watch a women's semi-final with Germany on Thursday, 24 August 2023, from 5.00 p.m. in the livestream on sportschau.de and in the ARD Mediathek. A men's semi-final with German participation would be on Friday, 25 August 2023, from 6.30 p.m. on sportstudio.de and in the ZDFmediathek.
Final with German participation live in the main programme on ARD and ZDF
On 26 August 2023, the third-place match and the women's final of the European Hockey Championship will take place at the Hockeypark in Mönchengladbach. Should the team of national coach Valentin Altenburg reach one of these two matches, ARD will broadcast the match live in the main programme. Just one day later, on 27 August 2023, the German men's national hockey team will have the chance of a place in the main programme. Should the German men's hockey team reach the final of the European Championship, the match will be broadcast live on ZDF. The reporter for the hockey games on ARD is Christian Blunck, for ZDF Adrian von der Groeben will be on duty.
Transmission of further matches in advanced negotiations
Of course, hockey fans in Germany should also be able to enjoy watching the entire EuroHockey Championships 2023 on screen. A total of 40 games will take place over ten days. In addition to the German teams, the co-favourites from Belgium, the Netherlands and England will be competing in the men's and women's competitions in Mönchengladbach. The German Hockey Federation will announce the partner for the broadcast of the other European Championship matches soon.
Overview of the German matches at the European Hockey Championship as well as semi-final and final matches
| Datum&Uhrzeit | Broadcast | Match |
| 18.08.2023 , 19:30 | sportschau.de/ ARD Mediathek | Women: Germany vs. Scotland |
| 19.08.2023 , 18:00 | sportstudio.de / ZDFmediathek | Men: Germany vs. Wales |
| 20.08.2023 , 17:30 | sportschau.de/ ARD Mediathek | Women: Germany vs. England |
| 21.08.2023 , 18:00 | sportstudio.de / ZDFmediathek | Men: Germany vs. Netherlands |
| 22.08.2023 , 19:30 | sportschau.de/ ARD Mediathek | Women: Germany vs. Ireland |
| 23.08.2023 , 19:30 | sportstudio.de / ZDFmediathek | Men: Germany vs. France |
| 24.08.2023 , ab 17:00 | sportschau.de/ ARD Mediathek | Women: Semi-Final with German participation |
| 25.08.2023 , ab 18:30 | sportstudio.de / ZDF Mediathek | Men: Semi-Final with German participation |
| 26.08.2023 , 12:15 | ARD | Women: Match for Third place with German participation |
| 26.08.2023 , 14:45 | ARD | Women: Finale with German participation |
| 27.08.2023 , 15:00 | sportstudio.de / ZDFmediathek | Men: Match for Third place with German participation |
| 27.08.2023 , 15:00 | ZDF | Men: Finale with German participation |
