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2024 Paris Olympics Opening CeremonyIOC

Olympics 2024 opening ceremony: Date, time, artists & how to watch Paris summer games curtain raiser

Another Olympic year has rolled around, and 2024 is all about Paris as the French capital prepares to host one of the biggest sporting events on the calendar. The city will be hosting its first Olympics after 100 years.

With brand new sports added to the fold and exciting plans to raise the curtain on the 2024 Olympics game, there's one thing for sure: you won't want to miss any of it.

For the opening ceremony, all you'll need to do is get your favourite snacks, round up friends and family and enjoy because GOAL has put together your go-to guide on the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony:

When is the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony?

Olympics countdown clock Getty Images

The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony takes place on July 26. It will start at 8:24 pm, which cleverly on the 24-hour clock is 20:24 pm - nicely done, Paris!

The Olympic games themselves will take place between July 26 and August 10. The closing ceremony will be at the Stade de France on August 11.

How can I watch the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony?

Paris 2024 OlympicsGetty Images

The International Olympic Committee is expecting an average of one billion viewers, online and on television, to tune in to the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

The event will be broadcast all over the world, but in the UK, you will be able to watch it on the BBC. In the US, you can catch all the opening ceremony action on Peacock, NBC, fuboTV and SlingTV.

Where is the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony taking place?

River SeineGetty Images

You would expect the 2024 Paris Olympics to take place inside a stadium, right? That's not the case this year, as the opening ceremony will take place outdoors, along the River Seine.

It's the first time ever that a Summer Olympics opening ceremony has not been hosted inside a stadium. This could mean more tickets for audience members to enjoy the fun.

What can we expect to see at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony?

Paris Olympics Opening CeremonyIOC

Paris is going for an ambitious opening ceremony, and not only because it's taking place outside. The 2024 Olympic opening ceremony is designed and planned with athletes in mind.

Boats for each national delegation will travel down the River Seine, which will be fitted with cameras so you can still see all the athletes up close.

Eighty giant screens and speakers will play music to create a real party atmosphere throughout the French capital. The parade will depart from the Austerlitz bridge, beside the Jardin des Plantes, making its way around the two islands at the centre of the city, the Île Saint Louis and the Île de la Cité, then passing under the eight to ten bridges and gateways. 

There's no official announcement on the artists who will be performing at the opening ceremony, but we'll keep this page updated for any new details.

What new sports are included in the 2024 Olympics?

Olympics Break Dancing Getty Images

Athletes will be vying for a medal across 34 sports over 329 events. This year the IOC has integrated four new sports: Break Dancing, Sport Climbing, Skateboarding, and Surfboarding. The organizers have said these sports have been chosen because they are "easy to take up, and participants form communities that are very active on social media."

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