Games wide open! The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics are here—so, expect to hear the roar of that slogan in the weeks ahead. There’s simply no way to quantify, or perhaps, prepare for, the already-electrifying energy infiltrating the host city and the largest Olympic ceremony ever. Despite the Games’ 300,000 spectator capacity, Paris is expected to receive around 15 million visitors, including 2 million from abroad, in the coming weeks.
Along with the spectator capacity, though, the Olympic Committee's goal is to show off the iconic offerings of France, while also pushing the message of a “more responsible, more inclusive, and more spectacular than ever before.” With sustainability in mind, 95% of the venues are already existing or temporary, and all sites are powered by renewable energy. And the anticipation is palpable, as Paris has proved their forward-looking approach to being an Olympic host in the past: Women athletes were involved for the first time ever at the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, and this year, 50 percent of the athletes are women, making Paris the first host to achieve gender equality in Games history.
Paris has planned for the Olympics for years now, but to prove just how ready the city is, Paris’ Mayor Anne Hidalgo recently jumped into the Seine, where marathon swimming and triathlons are planned to be held. The activity has been banned for over 100 years, but Paris Olympic organizers promised a major waterway clean-up, and to their report, a $1.5 billion investment. At the Opening Ceremony, the first ever held in a city center, 160 boats will carry 10,500 athletes toward Eiffel Tower, where (in case you’ve missed them) gigantic Olympic rings are proudly displayed on the facade. Once the Games begin, sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing, which all debuted at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, will be among the 32 sports in the Games—as well as one new addition: breaking (aka breakdancing).
Below, we outline everything you need to know ahead of this major event—from when the Games kick off, to how to buy tickets (or watch from home), and, of course, everything you should be doing if you're in Paris. Consider this your all-in-one Paris 2024 Summer Olympics guide.
When are the Olympics?
The 2024 Olympic Games will begin on July 24, with non-medal competitions. Then, from July 26 to August 11, the 10,500 athletes will compete in 329 medal events. Due to the addition of an extra day of swimming (a change from previous years) there will now be competitions in 3 highly anticipated sports around the globe, taking place in a very short window: Artistic gymnastics, swimming, and track and field will all be held on the same days of August 3 and 4.
For the complete and most up-to-date Olympic schedule, visit the Olympics website.
Where are the Olympics?
Ouì, ouì— Parìs! Lots of buzz has circulated around the city's plans for the Olympics infrastructure since the city won the rights to host the game seven years ago. There will be 45 sporting events across 35 competition venues in Paris and its neighboring cities—including Versailles, Le Bourget, Nanterre, Vaires-sur-Marne, and Saint-Denis. Two new permanent sport venues, Port de La Chapelle Area in the 18th arrondissement and the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, were specifically built for the upcoming Summer Games. A total of 20 out of the 35 venues being used as Olympic Games locations are in and around central Paris. Though there's one sport you won't be catching if you're headed to Europe: For surfing's second appearance in the Games, the competition will be held at Tahiti's Teahupo'o. The event will be the farthest medal competition from a host city in history.
The 15,000 athletes in Paris will be based in the recently complete 2024 Paris Olympic Village, or “Athlete’s Village,” a 300,000 square meter project built sustainability between Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, and the Île Saint-Denis. After the Games, the village has been converted to residential living for locals. (Until then, the Olympic Village content coming through athlete's social channels is as entertaining as the big show.)
Getting tickets to the Paris Olympics
If you want to experience the Olympics in person, it's still possible—but it's a little late to be selective and many sessions are fully sold out. Tickets for several sports at the Paris Olympics 2024 will be back on sale at a first serve basis within their Daily Ticket Release page. Find those on the Olympics website. If you can't find tickets for an event you're set on seeing, keep checking back, as some sessions may just be temporarily unavailable.
If you prefer an all-inclusive type of experience, the Olympic Committee is offering a number of Travel packages for attendees. While the Travel Packages no longer offer accommodation, you might still be able to snag a bundle of travel arrangements tied to the remaining events.
For VIP access, Hospitality Packages are available, which include exclusive access like meet and greet swith athletes before the Games begin.
Keep in mind that ticket registration is strict at the Olympics, and all tickets must be purchased on the official ticketing website. Don't take any chances with people reselling or otherwise.
Who will be competing in this year's summer Olympics?
This year the Olympic games will host around 10,500 athletes from 203 National Olympic Committees. Over the next two weeks, we’ll see them compete across 32 sports in 329 events. The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics is one of the first where the amount of male versus female participants is almost identical.
Making an Olympic team is no easy feat, with athletes being thrust into the spotlight the moment they step onto the Olympic stage and go for the gold. There are some familiar faces, like four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles, who will be returning to the stage as a member of the USA women’s National Gymnastics team, along with Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey.
A large spotlight is on Team USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson—who is attending her first Olympic Games—and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who has eight Olympic medals. Both will be competing in the women’s 100-meter race. While the men’s 100-meter will showcase the talents of USA’s Noah Lyles and Italy’s reigning Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, Lyles will be vying for his first Olymic win.
In the pool, there is anticipation around the women’s 400-meter freestyle, with Katie Ledecky, Ariarne Titmus, and Summer McIntosh standing side by side at the starting block.
But only when the Games begin, and competitions are fully underway, will we know who this year's Olympic stars are—the reason to watch is that there are always surprises, including fresh faces swooping in and snagging their medals.
For the full event schedule and updated results, head over to the official Olympics website.
Where is the Olympic Stadium?
The Stade de France is the country’s largest stadium and has hosted its biggest sporting events for three decades, including the Rugby World Cups and the World Athletics Championships. It’s located in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis, and will rightfully transform into the Olympic Stadium this summer.
Will there be any performances at the Olympics?
Thomas Jolly, a French theatre director and actor, is the artistic director for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies. He’s employed the help of choreographer Maud Le Pladec who plans to include around 400 dancers along the parade route for the opening and closing ceremonies. The performances will showcase the diverse cultural identity of France with a range of music genres and dance styles. The costumes, designed by Daphne Burki, have an overarching theme of sustainability, using vintage and up-cycled elements.
More stories from the Paris 2024 Olympics
To get a sense of the sports we've got an eye on this Olympics, check out our page dedicated to How Paris Moves, which zooms in on five sports—swimming, cycling, breaking, surfing, and skateboarding—and France's relationship to each well beyond the Games.
Planning your trip to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
Where to stay in Paris
The country’s largest stadium is in Saint-Denis, a 20-minute train ride from the city’s center and just outside of the 18th and 19th arrondissements. No matter where you stay, you’ll be able to find your way around the City of Lights, but if you’re looking for a certain scene we have a few recommendations. If you’re looking for a more residential pace, the 10th arrondissement is home to Canal Saint-Martin, where you’ll be able to take boat rides and pop into cool restaurants and bars. If you're looking forward to sightseeing, the 1st and 2nd arrondissements are the city’s center and the most convenient spot to base yourself (though you can definitely expect crowds).
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What to do in Paris
Paris is expecting 15 million visitors during the Olympics. If you’ve been looking to check some items off your bucket list, popular attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Musée d’Orsay will be open during this time—but saying there will be crowds is an understatement. For those looking for a sense of solitude amid the frenzy, take a stroll through the large, spacious Jardin des Tuileries, or visit the quieter Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.
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Reservations are going to be difficult to land with the amount of people who will be attending the Games. The earlier you map out where you’d like to eat, the better. And you'll probably want to grab a bite before heading to the stadium, whose surrounding restaurants will surely be packed during the Games. If you decide to eat inside the Olympic Stadium, there will be over 60 concession stands available and mobile vendors to (hopefully) expedite orders.
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How to watch the Olympics from home
If you won't be watching the games in person, most streaming platforms will have the Olympics readily available to active subscribers. Hulu has a Live TV Sports add-on feature where you can access channels that are often only found on cable—this add-on is an additional $10 to the $7.99 month subscription service. Youtube TV, Fubo, Direct TV Stream, Peacock, and Sling TV offer premium subscriptions that have access to channels such as CNBC, NBC, NBCSN, Olympics Channel, and USA (all of which will be showing the Games). Broadcasting for the Games will start each day at 3 a.m. EST and conclude at 6 p.m. EST.
When and where are the next Olympics?
The next Olympics will be the Winter Games hosted in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy in February 2026, and then in Brisbane, Australia, in July 2032. The next Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles in 2028 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum—right where the Superbowl was held this year.
When were the last Olympics?
The last Summer Olympic Games were held in Tokyo in 2021 after being postponed the year prior due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tokyo was the first host city to host the Summer Olympics twice; and 2021 was the first time the Olympic Games were held on an odd-numbered year.
This story has been updated since its original publish date.
