The eyes of the world are fixed on Paris and its river. The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games officially opens on Friday, July 26, starting at 7:30 p.m. It is scheduled to last 3 hours and 45 minutes and is taking place outside a stadium, for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games. “At the very beginning it seemed like a crazy idea, not a serious one”but this evening will be “unique” with some “world artists, dancers, an orchestra” Who “will make Paris an open-air theater”assured Emmanuel Macron at the beginning of the week on France 2 and franceinfo, while the ceremony will take place on the Seine and its banks. The identity of the last torchbearer, on the forecourt of the Eiffel Tower, is still secret. Follow our live coverage.
A parade of athletes and official speeches. In total, 6,800 athletes from 205 delegations will parade on 85 boats, from east to west on the Seine. Emmanuel Macron is also due to deliver an opening speech for the Games, accompanied by the president of the Olympic organizing committee, Tony Estanguet, and the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach. More than 320,000 spectators will be spread across 124 stands, according to the organizers.
Indiscretions about the artistic spectacle. Only ten people know the full programme of the opening ceremony, including its artistic spectacle. However, it is known that 3,000 dancers and musicians will storm the two banks and the bridges, on a six-kilometre route, according to the official website of the Paris Games. Among the artists expected, there are notably the singers Aya Nakamura, Juliette Armanet, and Philippe Katerine.French metal band Gojira and DJ Cerrone will also be performing. The grand finale will take place at the Eiffel Tower, where the cauldron will be lit.
The last Olympic torchbearer, a name still secret. The identity of the person who will light the Olympic cauldron around midnight remains a mystery. In recent weeks, Some names still came up with varying degrees of insistence: the sprinter Marie-José Pérec, the judoka Teddy Riner, the footballer Zinédine Zidane, and even astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
Unparalleled live TV coverage. While 326,000 spectators will watch this show live, the eyes of the entire world will also be turned towards Paris thanks to television screens, with a billion viewers expected, according to Atout France. For this, an exceptional technical system is being deployed. More than 100 camera systems, including robotic ones, as well as cranes have been installed.