Rio 2016 opening ceremony as it happened: Brazil make carnival from chaos in front of the world
Relive the ceremony as millions around tuned in to watch the opening ceremony in Rio
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Your support makes all the difference.Welcome to The Independent's coverage of Rio 2016 as the sport finally takes over from the simmering political and social unrest to have blighted the organisation of the Olympics this summer.
- Can the carnival overcome the chaos?
- Everything you need to know about Rio 2016 on TV
- Best and bizarre things to look for at opening ceremony
- Now the games have begun, it's time to see the best of Rio
- Pele to miss opening ceremony due to ill health
- Team GB swimming kit 'goes missing'
- Moroccan boxer arrested for rape on eve of Rio
Follow the latest from Rio below...
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The Maracana Stadium hosts the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games as Brazil looks to put the doom and gloom of the past few weeks behind it and raise the curtain on what will be 17 days of the best the South American nation has to offer. But what will it offer?
Any Olympic ceremony often indicates what is to come over the ensuing fortnight of action, with London’s grand opening a sign of things to come as the capital staged a memorable Olympic Games.
While the build-up to Rio has been blighted by fears over the Zika virus, concerns over health and safety and shock at the extreme poverty that the less fortunate experience in Rio de Janeiro, Friday signals a chance to put that all to one side and showcase the city in its finest light.
We already know that the ceremony will not be as flash as London, or even on the same scale as 2012, given that the money spent on it is around a tenth of the £27m spent four years ago.
Film director Fernando Meirelles, famous for his City of God, will coordinate the opening ceremony and explained that he could not justify spending a similar amount to the London showcase given the level of poverty in his home country. But while the ceremony is set to show the best of Brazil, there could be a few bizarre stop-offs along the way.
Football: Brazil hope to exorcise some demons tomorrow.
Here's Matt Gatward looking back on that 7-1 and ahead to Saturday's final.
Women's hockey: Here we go. Great Britain's women are about to walk out on their first ever Olympic field hockey final.
Their opponents are the Netherlands. Can they repeat the heroics of Wednesday's win over New Zealand? We're about to find out.
We'll have goal, penalty and quarter-by-quarter updates...
Women's hockey: Netherlands 0 Great Britain 1
End of the first quarter. It's exactly the start Great Britain would have wanted.
Hinch's saves have frustrated the Dutch, as has Owsley's cool finish. It's a fast-paced affair and they'll be more goals in it yet.
Great second round for Muhammad. An all important spinning kick to the face lands him 4 points and he is 5-1 up with a round to go. Ian Herbert
Women's hockey: GOAL! Netherlands 1 Great Britain 1 (Van Male)
Kitty van Male's sheer speed takes her past several flailing British defenders and allows her to shoot straight into the roof of Hinch's net.
And Lutalo Muhammad has made the final! Survived a very tense last round when the Azeri seemed to be reeling him in. One point in it with 30 seconds remaining but two kicks to the face from our boy in the closing seconds. A remarkable story brewing here in the Carioca Arena. Look out for more from me in a few hours. Ian Herbert
Women's hockey: Sensational stuff, not least because a team from the this sceptred isle just won a penalty shoot-out.
Athletics: Tonight's track and field events get under way in earnest in half an hour's time.
The women's pole vault final is up first. Holly Bradshaw will be competing for Great Britain.
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