2024 Olympics in Paris opening ceremony: artists performing, times, TV, stream and how to watch

History will be made when the Olympics kick off this week: the 2024 opening ceremony will be the first in the history of the Summer Games that hasn’t been held inside a stadium. Instead, nearly 11,000 athletes representing 206 national Olympic committees will take part in a parade that takes them by boat along the river Seine.

You'll be able to stream the opening ceremony live on fuboTV.

2024 opening ceremony: the lowdown

Following a six-kilometre route that will take in many of the French capital’s major landmarks, the parade will finish up at the Jardins du Trocadéro, where the opening ceremony will reach its climax.

Grandstands will be set up on the Seine’s banks and bridges, while cameras will be positioned in every boat to ensure that TV viewers are given a close-up look at the athletes.

“We’re going to take advantage of all the historic monuments around the Seine, and there won’t be a single riverbank or bridge that won’t be filled with music, dance, or performance,” says the opening ceremony’s choreographer, Maud Le Pladec.

What will the opening ceremony’s parade route be?

According to the Paris 2024 organisers, “The parade will depart from the Austerlitz bridge beside the Jardin des Plantes […] and make its way around the two islands at the centre of the city (the Île Saint Louis and the Île de la Cité) before passing under several bridges and gateways.

“Athletes on board the parade boats will get glimpses of some of the official Games venues, including Parc Urbain La Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides, the Grand Palais, and lastly the Iéna bridge where the parade will come to a stop before the ceremony’s finale at the Trocadéro.”

When is the Paris 2024 opening ceremony?

The Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony is to take place on Friday July 26, 2024. It’s scheduled to start at 1:30pm ET/10:30am PT.

Which artists are performing at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony?

Thomas Jolly, the artistic director for the opening ceremony, had’t given much away regarding the performances for Friday’s big launch only saying that “it will be very meaningful for the artists that will perform.” So when an empty void of information exists, rumour and speculation will fill it.

Celine Dion is one famous face that had been seen in the capital in recent days and so thoughts were that she could be included, especially given she’s French-Canadian. Then again, she sadly told us in 2022 about the diagnosis of a rare autoimmune disease.

French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura was also on some lips with thoughts that she could bring some vibrant R&B to the scene, or the Seine, for that matter. Lady Gaga may not be connected to the host nation by birth or family but had certainly been getting fans excited on social media after being spotted in Paris. As a left-field option, what about French rapper MC Solaar dropping in? He may be in his mid-50s now but could still swing a version of Bouge De Là.

Dion, Gaga, Nakamura to headline

Then it was confirmed. The chat was out of the sac. News broke on Thursday morning that Céline Dion, Lady Gaga and Aya Nakamura were indeed going to be involved. As well as them, Sofiane Pamart, Philippe Katerine, Juliette Armanet would form part of the occasion, although more surprises may be held back.

How can I watch the opening ceremony in the US?

Viewers in the United States will be able to watch the Paris 2024 opening ceremony on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock. English-language coverage will begin on NBC and Peacock at 12 noon ET/9am PT, while Telemundo’s Spanish-language broadcast will get going at 1pm ET/10am PT.

Together with Peacock, your streaming options include the online platform fuboTV, which offers new users a free introductory trial.

You'll be able to stream the opening ceremony live on fuboTV.

How many times has Paris held the Summer Olympics?

This will be the third time that Paris has staged the Games, but the first in a century. The city was the venue for the second modern Summer Olympics in 1900, before repeating hosting duties 24 years later.

Paris went on to submit unsuccessful bids for the Olympics held in 1992, 2008 and 2012, before finally being awarded its third Games in September 2017.

Paris will join London as the Summer Olympics’ most frequent host, before a third city, Los Angeles, equals that mark in summer 2028.