When do the Olympics start? Here's a brief schedule of the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
Every four years, the Olympic Games spotlight the world's top athletes across under 50 sports.
The country will send more than 800 athletes to this year's Summer Olympics in Paris. The next Winter Olympics are set for 2026 in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
As the world counts down to the opening ceremony, here's what to know about the Games' official start, events, location and venues.
When do the Olympics start?
The Paris 2024 Olympics begin on Wednesday, July 24. The first two events of the Games are men's soccer and rugby sevens.
Several events will take place the following day, including women's soccer, handball and archery. The Games do not officially start until the opening ceremony on Friday, July 26.
Typically, athletes march into a venue during the Olympics' opening ceremony. This year, however, athletes will float down the Seine River on barges.
The river parade will span nearly 4 miles, starting at the Austerlitz bridge, going past two islands (the Île Saint Louis and the Île de la Cité) and ending near the Trocadéro. This year's format − taking place outside a stadium − marks a first in the Olympics' history.
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When do the Olympics end?
If you miss the opening ceremony, you still have 16 days to watch the Games.
The last day of the 2024 Paris Olympics is Sunday, Aug. 11. There will be 13 gold medal events, including men's water polo, women's volleyball and the women's marathon final.
The closing ceremony will wrap up the Games on the same day, taking place at the Stade de France.
Where are the Olympics?
A majority of this year's Olympic events will be held in Paris. This is the third time the French capital has hosted the Summer Games, having previously hosted in 1924 and 1900.
The Games will be held at various venues. This includes the triathlon and marathon swimming events at the Seine River, the equestrian and modern pentathlon events at the Château de Versailles and the surfing events in Teahupo'o, Tahiti.
In total, the 2024 Paris Olympics has 35 venues.
How many sports in the 2024 Olympics?
There are 32 sports at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
One new sport was added to the lineup: breaking, commonly known as breakdancing.
Three events that debuted at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics will return at the Paris Games: Climbing, skateboarding and surfing.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When do the Olympics start? A guide to the 2024 Summer games
