Paris Olympics 2024 begins tonight with a stunning opening ceremony planned on the River Seine.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has fulfilled her promise to swim in the water to prove it is safe to use ahead of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.
She said afterwards: “It’s sweet and wonderful and the result of a lot of work.
“I remember at the very beginning in 2015, when we began our campaign for the Games, the international triathlon federation said, why not a triathlon in the Seine? Will athletes be able to swim in the Seine? Today, we can say they can.”
Here is what you can look forward to.
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When is the Paris Olympics opening ceremony?
The opening ceremony starts tonight on Friday, July 26, at 6.30pm UK time.
Some of the action began earlier in the week but the official start is July 27, 2024 and lasts until the final day on August 11, which will also be the closing ceremony.
The Paralympics will be held from August 28 to September 8.
What will the opening ceremony include?
The ceremony is expected to take place on the banks of the River Seine in Paris and not at the Olympic Stadium – the first time this has ever happened.
Spectators can enjoy proceedings along a 6km stretch of the river before settling at the Trocadéro, opposite the Eiffel Tower.
The athlete parade will be carried out on 116 boats but there will also be an artistic performance on the water – for which details remain a secret other than that it will be directed by stage legend Thomas Jolly.
Some of the tickets were put up for free via a lottery but seating in more prominent areas has cost fans from 90 Euros to 2,700 Euros.
There will also be screens to watch it set up around Paris.
How to watch the Paris Olympics opening ceremony
TV channel: UK viewers can watch the entire opening ceremony on the BBC. Coverage starts on BBC One from 5.45pm today ahead of a scheduled 6.30pm start time.
Discovery+ is the rights holder for Paris 2024 and is showing also showing the curtain-raiser.
Live stream: Fans can also catch the BBC coverage live online for free via the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer. The Discovery+ app will be showing extensive coverage, which begins at a monthly fee of £3.99.
