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Here's How to Watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony

Nakeisha Campbell
·6 min read

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The 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony is taking fans straight to the city of Paris, and it's set to be a historic one.

The long-standing tradition will take place on Friday, July 26, ahead of the highly-anticipated Summer Games, which will begin on Sunday, August 11. Fortunately for fans, this year's ceremony promises to be an "unforgettable spectacle" that's "bold, original and unique."

The official website reads, "Thanks to the concerted efforts of Paris 2024, the City of Paris, the French government, the IOC and the CNOSF, the opening ceremony is being remade anew, transferred to the heart of the impressive playing field the athletes will make their own as soon as it ends, the City of Light itself, in the greatest popular celebration of sports, right in the heart of Paris."

From the co-hosts to the creative mastermind behind the show, keep reading for a full breakdown of the Olympics Opening Ceremony, including how to watch.

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1. When Is the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony?

Earlier this year, Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet announced that the opening ceremony will take place on July 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET (or 7:30 p.m. CT). Viewers in Los Angeles—where the 2028 Games will be held—can tune in at 10.30 a.m. PT.

2. Where Will the Ceremony Take Place?

Paris 2024

The ceremony is traditionally held in the Olympic Stadium, but this year’s ceremony will make history by moving through the banks of the Seine River in Paris.

Yes, you read correctly. Paris 2024 is breaking new ground with a fresh approach, featuring a parade of 10,500 athletes and boats to represent each nation. The parade's six-kilometer route will begin at the Austerlitz Bridge and travel through the center of Paris, bypassing official venues like the Place de la Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides and the Grand Palais. The parade will then conclude in front of the Trocadéro, where the final events of the ceremony will take place.

Estanguet said, "We are delighted to have an opening ceremony that illustrates the meeting between sport and the city in the most beautiful way. With the natural light of the setting sun, the event will be even more sublime, with a truly poetic dimension, inviting both athletes and the public to appreciate the natural beauty of the City of Light."

3. Who Is Directing the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony?

Paris 2024

In September 2022, Paris 2024 appointed French theater director Thomas Jolly as the artistic director for the opening and closing ceremonies. Following the announcement, Estanguet said in a statement, "For Paris 2024, appointing Thomas Jolly as Artistic Director of the ceremonies is an ambitious choice that is consistent with our vision. With his impressive career, Thomas Jolly is at the forefront of the young, creative and ambitious French artistic scene. His extraordinary shows are proof that he knows how to break norms and take them to the next level."

Jolly also said: "When I heard about the concept of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games on the Seine, I was struck by the incredible ambition of the Organizing Committee. With the prospect of an extraordinary Opening Ceremony for the first Paralympic Games in France, and the joyful closing ceremonies at Stade de France, I am convinced that we can offer the world unique images in 2024. By opening the Games to as many people as possible, Paris 2024 displays values that I fully recognize. The ceremonies will be a great opportunity to share a collective narrative, to affirm the possibility of a ‘we’ in front of nations around the word."

4. Who Is Hosting the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony?

Talk show host Kelly Clarkson, football star Peyton Manning and sports commentator Mike Tirico announced on The Tonight Show that they will co-host the Opening Ceremony. Plus, Today Show hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb will join the trio.

Molly Solomon,  executive producer and president of NBC Olympics Production, said in a statement, “This summer’s Opening Ceremony will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen, and we’re thrilled to have Kelly and Peyton join Mike to describe all the spectacular sights and sounds happening along The Seine leading to the lighting of the cauldron. Savannah and Hoda have one of the most exciting Opening Ceremony positions ever, reporting from a bridge above the river as athletes from around the globe sail by in a parade of nations the world has never seen.”

Per NBCUniversal, Olympic veterans will be stationed on a bridge along the route and report on the pageantry as the athletes sail by. Towards the end of the ceremony, Clarkson, Manning and Tirico will be at the Trocadero, featuring stunning views of The Seine and Eiffel Tower. (FYI, Tirico will host his fourth Opening Ceremony, and this will mark Clarkson and Manning's first time as co-hosts.)

5. How Can Fans Attend the Ceremony in Person?

Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Great news: The official ticketing website is now selling event tickets, along with travel and hospitality packages for the upcoming games. Tickets are open to everyone, from Paris residents to visitors from around the world. The best part? Admission will be free for spectators in the upper quays.

The website reads, "Spectators wishing to access the lower quays, from the Austerlitz bridge to the Iéna bridge, will need to purchase tickets. Hundreds of thousands of spectators will be able to attend the festivities along the banks of the Seine."

6. How to Watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony

Chesnot/Getty Images

Want to visit the City of Lights from the comfort of your couch? Lucky for you, fans can watch live coverage on NBC or stream all the action on Peacock.

Although the ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. ET, live coverage will start at noon ET on NBC and Peacock. (P.S., premium plans cost $6 a month.) Also, Spanish-language coverage will be offered on Telemundo at 1 p.m. ET.

7. What If I Don’t Have Cable (or Peacock)?

IONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images

In addition to Peacock, other streaming services (including Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV) also offer NBC. Keep reading below for the full list of options.

  • Hulu (with Live TV): The streaming service offers a wide variety of channels through the Live TV option—including NBC, and it costs $77 per month.

  • YouTube TV: For $73 a month, YouTube TV lets you stream live events on over 100 channels, including CBS, FOX, NBC, TNT and more. (P.S., you can get coverage of other sporting events through the Olympic Channel.)

  • Sling TV: The streaming service offers local channels like FOX, ABC and NBC, but they're only available to Sling customers in select cities. The Sling Blue package costs $45 per month, but new subscribers get half off the first month.

  • FuboTV: This sports streaming service also includes NBC in its massive channel lineup, and plans start at $80 per month.

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