Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony date, time, how to watch and performers explained
17 July 2024, 12:47
When is the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony? Who is performing? What time do they start and how do you watch them? Here's all your questions, answered.
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The Olympics 2024 in Paris will officially start with the Opening Ceremony, due to take place on Friday, 26th July, with a display set to revolutionise the Games.
The planning team behind the Opening Ceremony in Paris have said that they have planned a spectacle which will be bold, original and unique, and - for the first time - will not take place in a stadium.
Instead, the Opening Ceremony will take place on the streets of Paris and down the Seine, with the delegates of each nation parading down the river in boats.
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A lot of questions are still being asked of the Opening Ceremony, however, including; who will perform? What time does it start and how can we watch it?
When is the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony?
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics 2024 will happen on Friday, 26th July, from 6:30pm in Paris, where the games are being hosted this year.
The ceremony marks the official start of the Olympic Games and is often a huge spectacle, with performances from 3,000 artists and 400 dancers.
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How long does the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony go on for?
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics will start at 6:30pm and end at 10:15pm, making it three hours and 45 minutes long.
Where can I watch the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony?
You will be able to watch the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony on BBC One and Discovery+.
BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer will be airing the events throughout the games as well as a nightly highlights show.
Who is performing at the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony?
At the moment, the performers for the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony are being kept under wraps, however, there have been rumours, reports and speculation around the big names.
One of the biggest rumoured performers is Taylor Swift who has recently been touring the world with The Eras Tour, however, this has not been confirmed.
Other reports suggest Celine Dion, Burns Boy and Daft Punk could be performing, however, the latter was recently confirmed to false.
What is the historical importance of the Olympics Opening Ceremony?
The Olympics Opening Ceremony marks the official start to the Olympic Games and the end of the previous cycle.
While the first Olympics occurred in 776 BC, the Opening Ceremony did not become a tradition until 1908 when, at the London Olympics, the athletes walked into the stadium with their nation's flags for the first time.
Traditionally, the Greek team walks out first, followed by the rest of the nations in alphabetical order, ending with the nation hosting the games.
During the ceremony, the Olympic flag is raised and the the Olympic hymn played which the torch arrives at the location of the games and the flame is lit. As well as this, the Olympic Oath and Creed is read.
Over the years, the Opening Ceremony has become more and more spectacular, with the hosting nation often under pressure to bring the best show to the world.
When London hosted the Olympics in 2012, we saw performances by Spice Girls and even Queen Elizabeth II 'skydiving' into the stadium alongside James Bond (Daniel Craig).
