The Summer Olympics kick off on 26 July. Here’s Al Jazeera’s concise viewer guide to the world’s biggest multi-sport event.
Paris is preparing to host the Summer Olympics this year.
The Olympics are held every four years and the last Tokyo Games were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and took place largely without spectators.
From venues to sporting events, here’s everything you need to know about the much-anticipated Paris 2024 Olympics.
When is the Paris Olympics?
- This year’s Olympics will run from July 26th to August 11th.
- Some sports will begin before the official opening ceremony, including football and rugby sevens on July 24, and archery and handball on July 25.
- Overall, the multi-sport event will take place over 19 days.
What time is the Olympic opening ceremony?
The Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday 26 July at 7:30pm local time (7:30pm GMT).
How many athletes will compete in the Olympics?
A total of 10,500 athletes representing 206 countries will take part in this year’s Olympics.
What sports will be featured in the 2024 Olympics?
Athletes will compete for 329 gold medals in 32 sports.
Where can I see the 2024 Olympics schedule and results?
An overview of the schedule and results of the Paris Olympic Games can be found on a dedicated page of the official Olympic website.
Where are the Olympic Games held?
- The event will begin on the Seine on July 26, when dozens of boats will carry athletes down a six-kilometer (3.7-mile) stretch of water.
- The Olympics will be held in a total of 35 venues.
- Most of these venues are in or near Paris, but some matches are held in venues in other cities, such as the Lyon Stadium for football matches and Marseille Marina for sailing events.
- The surfing will take place in Tahiti, French Polynesia, a French overseas territory about 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) from the other venues.
- Read on for more details about the different venues at this year’s Olympics.
What does this have to do with French politics and elections?
France’s parliamentary elections concluded earlier this month, with no party winning a majority. Shortly after the results, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, from President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, announced he was stepping down.
President Macron accepted Attal’s resignation but his government will remain in a caretaker role to ensure the Olympics run smoothly.
“We are ready and we will be ready during the Olympics,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on July 22. [to host the event].”
How to watch the 2024 Olympics?
- The 2024 Paris Olympics will be broadcast around the world.
- Al Jazeera’s dedicated Paris 2024 Olympic Games tournament page will let you follow all the action from the Summer Olympics, including all the news and features, event preparations and live text commentary on select football, basketball, tennis and boxing matches.
Olympic Games Schedule – by sport:
Opening ceremony: July 26th, the Seine
- archery: July 25th to August 4th, Les Invalides
- Gymnastics: July 25th to August 4th, Bercy Arena
- Artistic Swimming: August 5-10, Bercy Arena
- Athletics: 1-11 August, Stade de France (athletics), Trocadero (race walking), Les Invalides (marathon)
- badminton: July 27th – August 5th, La Chapelle Arena
- 3×3 Basketball: July 30 to August 5, La Concorde
- basketball: 27 July to 11 August, at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium (group stage) and the Bercy Arena (final)
- Beach Volleyball: July 27th to August 10th, Eiffel Tower Stadium
- boxing: July 27 to August 10, North Paris Arena and Roland Garros Stadium
- breaking news: August 9-10, La Concorde
- Canoe Slalom: 27 July to 5 August, Vers-sur-Marne Maritime Stadium – Whitewater
- Canoe Sprint: 6th-10th August, Vert-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium – Flatwater
- Cycling BMX: July 30th to August 2nd, La Concorde (freestyle), BMX Stadium (race)
- Cycling Mountain Bike: July 28-29, Elancourt Hill
- Cycling roads: 27 July to 4 August, Pont Alexandre III (time trial), Trocadero (road race)
- Cycling route: August 5-11, National Velodrome
- diving: July 27th – August 10th, Aquatics Centre
- Equestrian: July 27th to August 6th, Palace of Versailles
- fencing: July 27th to August 4th, Grand Palais
- football: From 24 July to 10 August, at the Bordeaux Stadium, Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, La Beaujoire Stadium, Lyon Stadium, Marseille Stadium, Nice Stadium and Parc de Princes (final)
- golf: 1st to 10th August, Le Golf National
- handball: 25 July to 11 August, South Paris Arena (group stage), Pierre Mauroy Stadium (knockout stage)
- hockey: July 27th – August 9th Yves du Manoir Stadium
- judo: 27 July to 3 August, Champs de Mars Arena
- Marathon Swimming: August 8-9, Pont Alexandre III
- Modern Pentathlon: August 8-11, North Paris Arena (ranking round), Palace of Versailles
- Rhythmic gymnastics: August 8-10, La Chapelle Arena
- Rowing: 27 July to 3 August, Vers-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium – Flatwater
- Rugby Sevens: July 24-30, Stade de France
- Sailing: July 28th to August 8th, Marseille Marina
- photograph: July 27th to August 5th, Châteauroux Shooting Centre
- skateboard: July 27 to August 7, La Concorde
- Sport Climbing: August 5th-10th: Le Bourget Climbing Venue
- surfing: July 27th – August 4th, Teaaupo, Tahiti
- swimming: July 27th to August 4th, La Défense Arena, Paris
- Table tennis: July 27-August 10, South Paris Arena
- Taekwondo: August 7-10, Grand Palais
- tennis: July 27th – August 4th, Roland Garros
- Trampoline Gymnastics: August 2nd, Bercy Arena
- triathlon: From July 30 to August 5, Pont Alexandre III
- volleyball: July 27-August 11, South Paris Arena
- Water polo: 27 July to 11 August, La Défense Arena, Aquatics Centre, Paris
- Weightlifting: August 7-11, South Paris Arena
- wrestling: 5th to 11th August, Champs de Mars Arena
- Closing session: August 11th, Stade de France
