How many times has France hosted the Olympic Games?

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are just around the corner, with the competition set to begin on Friday, 26 July and run through until Sunday, 11 August. All in all, athletes from all over the world will compete in 329 events in 40 different sports. Although Paris is the main host city, the Games will actually be spread across 16 other locations in metropolitan France, as well as Tahiti.

The Olympic Games’ French connection

The modern Olympics were inspired by the ancient Games held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Although there were several forerunners, what we now know as the Olympic Games were officially founded by Pierre de Coubertin, a French Baron, who created the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894.

In homage to the “original” Olympics, the first modern Summer Games were held in Athens, Greece two years later in 1896. However, de Coubertin made sure his native France would forever be high up in the Olympic standings by helping ensure the next edition took place in Paris in 1900.

1,226 competitors from 26 nations took part in 95 events in the second ever Games, numbers which rose significantly the next time Paris hosted in 1924 (3,089 athletes from 44 countries in 126 events).

Which cities and countries have hosted the most Summer Olympic Games?

But the French capital, and France itself, has had to be patient to return to hosting duties for a third time. Indeed, the 2024 Olympics will mark the 100th anniversary of the last time the Games were held in Paris.

By hosting the Summer Olympics for a third time, Paris joins London (1908, 1948, 2012) as the cities which have hosted the most Games, although Los Angeles will also become a member of that exclusive club in 2028.

France will become the third country after Australia and the United Kingdom to host the Olympics three times, with only the United States (four, rising to five in 2028) having done so more often.