The Paris Summer Olympics are set to commence on Friday, July 26, ushering in 17 days of global athletic competition. This event marks Paris’s third time hosting the Summer Games and its first since 1924. The Opening Ceremony promises to be unprecedented, with organizers declaring it the largest in Olympic history. This year’s ceremony will break tradition with a dramatic new format, taking place on the Seine River rather than an Olympic Stadium.
In a grand departure from previous ceremonies, the Parade of Nations will float along the river, offering a picturesque and dynamic setting that showcases Paris’s iconic landmarks. Athletes from around the world will travel in boats, providing a unique and visually stunning introduction to the Games. As the City of Light prepares to shine on the global stage, here’s what you need to know about the highly anticipated Opening Ceremony.
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The Opening Ceremony promises to be the largest in Olympic history, according to the organizing committee.
Unique Opening Ceremony Location
- For the first time, the Parade of Nations will take place on the Seine River rather than an Olympic Stadium.
- Athletes will travel in boats, starting from the Austerlitz Bridge and passing landmarks such as Notre-Dame, Pont-Neuf, and the Louvre, ending at the Trocadéro near the Eiffel Tower.
- Due to security concerns, the number of spectators will be limited to about 300,000 along the banks, with 80 giant screens set up along the waterway. The parade will cover 3.7 miles (six kilometers) and is expected to last nearly four hours.
Spectator Arrangements
- The Opening Ceremony will be the first ever held on a river.
- Around 104,000 people will watch from stands lining the River Seine, with an additional 220,000 on raised roadways.
- French officials initially estimated 600,000 attendees, but this has been reduced due to safety concerns.
Athlete Participation
- The parade will feature 10,500 athletes from various national delegations, traveling on nearly 100 boats.
- The ceremony will conclude at the Trocadéro with a final show highlighting the Eiffel Tower.
Schedule and Broadcast
- The Opening Ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. ET and will air again in primetime at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Team USA Flag Bearers
- Tennis star Coco Gauff and NBA legend LeBron James will carry the flags for Team USA.
- Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion, will make her Olympic debut and is the first tennis player to carry the U.S. flag.
- Gauff, based in Florida, recently won her first Grand Slam title in singles and doubles and is seeded No. 2 in singles for the Olympics.
Broadcast Team
- Kelly Clarkson, Peyton Manning, and Mike Tirico will host the Opening Ceremony broadcast, joined by Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb.
Performances
- Entertainment details are largely under wraps, but there are rumors of performances by Lady Gaga and Celine Dion.
- Dion hinted at her participation in an interview with Vogue France and has a history of performing at the Olympics, having sung “The Power of the Dream” at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
- Snoop Dogg is confirmed to appear, carrying the Olympic flame to its final stop before reaching the Eiffel Tower and reporting on the games as part of the coverage.
