Paris 2024: Olympics opening ceremony, dates, new events and how to watch on TV

The 2024 Paris Olympics is less than a year away from starting and plans are already well in place for everything from the opening ceremony route to when the first medals will be handed out.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Summer Games in France, hosted by Paris exactly 100 years since they last did so.

When is the Paris Olympics?

Day 1 of the event will be 27 July 2024 and the Games will run for two weeks, through to 11 August 2024. The full sport-by-sport schedule is available here and tickets can be bought here.

Where can I watch it?

The Olympics will again be broadcast on BBC and Eurosport. Some action will be on the live TV channels and the rest will be streamed on their online websites and apps.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events such as the Olympics then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.

What will the opening ceremony be like?

The opening ceremony will be held on 26 July but unlike at previous Games, Paris organisers have opted to host theirs outside of a stadium to take in the sights and iconic locations around the city.

Therefore the parade of athletes will be conducted along the river Seine, with boats for each nation, crossing through the centre of Paris for 6km. The route will finish at the Trocadero, the gardens across from the Eiffel Tower, where the final Olympic traditions will take place.

As the process takes place across the city in the open air, there are no admission fees or tickets for viewing the ceremony. The procession route is viewable here and the torch relay route can be viewed here.

The closing ceremony will be held at the Stade de France.

Will all the events be held in Paris?

No. Three zones in and around Paris will be utilised: Grand (including Stade de France ceremonies, Arena 92 for swimming, Saint-Denis), Central (including Parc des Princes, Stade Roland Garros) and Versaille (including Le Golf National and the Velodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines for track cycling).

However, there are also outlying venues such as football stadiums including the Stade Velodrome in Marseille and Parc Olympique in Lyon, the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille which will host the handball event, the National Nautical Stadium of Ile-le-France for rowing and kayaking events and the National Shooting Center in Chateauroux.

Additionally, the inclusion of surfing as an event means one sport will take place over 15,000km from Paris: Taiarapu-Ouest will host the surfing, on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia.

What new events are to be included?

A total of 32 sports will be contested over 329 events, including four new additions for the Paris line-up. The IOC allow hosts to put forward their own choices to enhance each Games and France have included breaking (break dancing), sport climbing, skateboarding and surfing. The organisers said these were chosen in part because they are “easy to take up and participants form communities that are very active on social media”, meaning they expect “millions of children” to be inspired to take them up.

What about the Paralympics?

The Paris Games will be immediately followed by the Summer Paralympic Games in France, running from 28 August to 8 September. There are 22 sports included, comprising 549 events. Tickets for the Paralympics are available here.