The long-awaited opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is about to begin. Here are details on how to watch the event live and the corresponding timings.
In a novel twist, some 10,500 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats along the Seine River, covering 6 kilometers (3.7 miles).
- Where to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony live?
- What time does the opening ceremony start?
- Where is the opening ceremony held?
- Who will perform at the opening ceremony?
- What happens if it rains during the opening ceremony?
In United States, The ceremony will be broadcast on NBC and will be available on the Peacock and NBC Olympic platforms.: NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC app, and the NBC Olympics app.
What time does the opening ceremony start?
The opening ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. PT and 1:30 p.m. ET, with an estimated duration of more than three hours.
Where is the opening ceremony held?
The inaugural parade will begin at the Pont d’Austerlitz, near the Jardin des Plantes, and follow the course of the Seine from east to west.
During the journey, the boat will pass two islands in the centre of Paris and under several bridges and footbridges. Athletes on the boats will be able to see several Olympic venues, such as the Parc Urbane La Concorde (3X3 basketball, breaking, BMX freestyle, skateboarding), Invalides (archery, athletics, marathon finish, road cycling, time trial) and the Grand Palais (fencing, taekwondo).
The parade will end on the Pont d’Iena, which connects the Eiffel Tower to the Trocadéro district. The ceremony will culminate at the Trocadéro, where French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver the opening speech.
Around 220,000 invited spectators are expected to fill the upper tiers on the banks of the Seine, while another 104,000 paying ticket holders will enjoy the spectacle from the lower bank of the river and around the Trocadéro square.
Those in Paris without tickets will be able to watch the ceremony on 80 giant screens set up across the city.
Who will perform at the opening ceremony?
While most of the headliners are being kept under wraps, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga are rumored to be performing, NBC News reports.
What happens if it rains during the opening ceremony?
Spectators and athletes could get wet, as there is no roof over the Seine. According to the latest forecast from Meteo-France, there is a slight chance of rain.
Cloudy skies are expected from midday, with light rain in the morning. Although the weather could improve in the afternoon, showers were warned to occur in the Paris region in the evening.
Despite the rain, the ceremony will go ahead as planned.