partners, associations, popular neighborhoods… Who can have an invitation to the opening ceremony?

By lowering the number of spectators for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on the Seine, the government has modified the conditions of participation. Something to rejoice, in particular, certain communities in Ile-de-France.

Historical, certainly; popular, yes, but by invitation. The number of spectators who will be able to attend the river parade of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been set at 326,000 people, including 222,000 with free tickets, the Minister of the Interior revealed on Tuesday March 5 , Gérald Darmanin.

There are therefore, concretely, 104,000 paid spaces on the lower part of the quays of the Seine – at prices which sometimes exceed a thousand euros -, and some 222,000 places on the high quays. These will be free, but by invitation: the lucky ones will be chosen by the State, public authorities or the organizing committee. “We have chosen to entrust the partners, which are the local authorities and the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games in particular, to select a certain number of people“, clarified Gérald Darmanin, during a hearing before the Senate Law Committee, adding that “The big change is that this ticketing is still free but it is done through partners.”

“A magnificent festival as popular as possible”

Behind this change, the Ministry of the Interior initially cites a concern for security, because it is easier to screen people if they arrive in semi-organized groups. An argument understood and taken up by the mayor of Paris, satisfied with this first sorting. The Games organizing committee, for its part, will be able to satisfy its partners who have put a lot of money on the table and would thus be rewarded by having a quota of reserved places.

The same goes for local authorities, rejoices Mathieu Hanotin, socialist mayor of Saint-Denis. “It was a request shared by all the mayors concerned in Seine-Saint-Denis so that this magnificent celebration, which we want to be as popular as possible, can really benefit everyone: that we not be in a logic of ‘first come, first served’ and that we can guarantee that target audiences, whom we choose to reach, can be allocated a free ticket to attend this ceremony“, pleads the elected official. He therefore asks for a certain number of reserved places, evoking “several thousand invitations“.”When the minister came to Seine-Saint-Denis, at the start of 2024, he committed to all elected officials to ensure that this was possible. I am convinced that we will get there“, assures Mathieu Hanotin. But in case of large volumes, it is necessary”let us know early”he adds.

As for Paris City Hall, we also welcome these invitations. “We will obviously work on it [à leur attribution]but the objective is to invite those who are involved in the daily life of the city“, specifies Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy of the mayor of Paris, on franceinfo.

“It could be association leaders, young people, young people from working-class neighborhoods in particular”

Emmanuel Grégoire

at franceinfo

Those selected will have to register in advance on the Games ticketing website in order to generate a QR code if their registration is approved by the French intelligence services. If approved, thanks to this QR code and the presentation of an identity document, they will be able to access the high quays of the Seine, above the spectators gathered on the low quays. “If this or that person is not wanted, we can always cancel this QR code“, Gérald Darmanin also clarified.