The Paris Olympics will officially kick off on July 26 with a historic and extravagant Opening Ceremony. This spectacular event will be held on the river Seine on Friday. As we prepare for the major sporting event and the grand ceremony, here’s all the essential information about the opening, including when India will make its appearance during the grand parade.
What makes the Paris Olympics opening ceremony unique?
For the first time, the Games’ opening ceremony will not be held in a stadium. Instead, around 85 boats will transport nearly 7,000 athletes along a 6km route on the Seine River, right in the heart of Paris.
The parade will start from the Austerlitz bridge, pass by landmarks like the Notre-Dame cathedral, and end near the Eiffel Tower. The boats will navigate under various bridges, including the Pont des Arts and Pont Neuf, showcasing many of Paris’s famous sights.
The ceremony is set to begin at 11 PM IST (1730 GMT) and will last approximately three hours and 45 minutes.
What will we see?
Organizers have promised an unprecedented spectacle for the ceremony.
They describe it as bold and festive, making full use of Paris’s historic landmarks, riverbanks, sky, and water “and there won’t be a single riverbank or bridge that won’t be filled with music, dance, or performance.”
Approximately 80 giant screens will line the route to broadcast the event, which will feature a floating parade of athletes and artists. Additionally, dancers are expected to perform from the rooftops of buildings along the Seine.
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Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony, described the event as “a grand fresco” celebrating Paris, France, and the Games. It will blend the athlete parade with artistic performances and ceremonial elements.
Details such as who will ignite the Olympic cauldron and which artists will perform remain under wraps.
However, there are rumors that Lady Gaga and Celine Dion might participate, as they have been seen in Paris. French media has also reported that Franco-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura, the world’s most listened-to French female artist, will perform a song by the late Charles Aznavour.
Who will attend the opening ceremony?
The opening ceremony will be attended by over 80 heads of state and government, with more than 300,000 spectators expected to line the riverbanks. According to the Paris 2024 committee, around 222,000 people will receive free invitations, while 104,000 will need to purchase tickets.
Boats carrying the athletes will be equipped with cameras to provide viewers on TV or their phones with close-up views of the event.
What is the Parade of Nations during the Olympics opening ceremony?
The Parade of Nations during the Opening Ceremony introduces all the participating athletes and nations as they march out one by one at the venue.
When did the Parade of Nations begin?
The first Parade of Nations occurred at the London Olympics in 1908.
Which country will come out first in the Parade of Nations at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony?
Greece will be the first to enter, as the original Olympic Games began in Greece thousands of years ago. The first modern Olympics also took place in Greece in 1896.
Greece will be followed by which team in the Parade of Nations?
The Refugee Olympic Team will follow Greece.
How is the order of the Parade of Nations decided?
The order of nations is determined alphabetically according to the host nation’s national language.
Which country will be the last in the Parade of Nations?
The host country, France, will be the last to enter.
What will be India’s sequence in the Parade of Nations at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony?
India will be the 84th country to appear in the Parade of Nations.
Who will be India’s flag bearers during the Parade of Nations at the Paris Olympics?
Achanta Sharath Kamal and PV Sindhu will serve as India’s flag bearers.
The complete order of countries for the Parade of Nations at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony:
1. Greece
2. Refugee Olympic Team
3. Afghanistan
4. South Africa
5. Albania
6. Algeria
7. Germany
8. Andorra
9. Angola
10. Antigua and Barbada
11. Saudi Arabia
12. Argentina
13. Armenia
14. Aruba
15. Austria
16. Azerbaijan
17. Bahamas
18. Bahrain
19. Bangladesh
20. Barbados
21. Belgium
22. Belize
23. Benin
24. Bermuda
25. Bhutan
26. Bolivia
27. Bosnia and Herzegovina
28. Botswana
29. Brazil
30. Brunei
31. Bulgaria
32. Burkina Faso
33. Burundi
34. Cayman Islands
35. Cambodia
36. Cameroon
37. Canada
38. Cape Verde
39. Central African Republic
40. Chile
41. China
42. Cyprus
43. Colombia
44. Comoros
45. Republic of the Congo
46. Democratic Republic of the Congo
47. Cook Islands
48. South Korea
49. Costa Rica
50. Ivory Coast
51. Croatia
52. Cuba
53. Denmark
54. Djibouti
55. Dominican Republic
56. Dominica
57. Egypt
58. El Salvador
59. United Arab Emirates
60. Ecuador
61. Eritrea
62. Spain
63. Estonia
64. Eswatini
65. Ethiopia
66. Fiji
67. Finland
68. Gabon
69. The Gambia
70. Georgia
71. Ghana
72. Great Britain
73. Grenada
74. Guam
75. Guatemala
76. Guinea
77. Guinea-Bissau
78. Equatorial Guinea
79. Guyana
80. Haiti
81. Honduras
82. Hong Kong
83. Hungary
84. India
85. Indonesia
86. Iran
87. Iraq
88. Ireland
89. Iceland
90. Israel
91. Italy
92. Jamaica
93. Japan
94. Jordan
95. Kazakhstan
96. Kenya
97. Kyrgyzstan
98. Kiribati
99. Kosovo
100. Kuwait
101. Laos
102. Lesotho
103. Latvia
104. Lebanon
105. Liberia
106. Libya
107. Liechenstein
108. Lithuania
109. Luxembourg
110. North Macedonia
111. Madagascar
112. Malaysia
113. Malawi
114. Maldives
115. Mali
116. Malta
117. Morocco
118. Marshall Islands
119. Mauritius
120. Mauritania
121. Mexico
122. Federated States of Micronesia
123. Moldova
124. Monaco
125. Mongolia
126. Montenegro
127. Mozambique
128. Myanmar
129. Namibia
130. Nauru
131. Nepal
132. Nicaragua
133. Niger
134. Nigeria
135. Norway
136. New Zealand
137. Oman
138. Uganda
139. Uzbekistan
140. Pakistan
141. Palau
142. Palestine
143. Panama
144. Papua New Guinea
145. Paraguay
146. Netherlands
147. Peru
148. Philippines
149. Poland
150. Puerto Rico
151. Portugal
152. Qatar
153. North Korea
154. Romania
155. Rwanda
156. Saint Kitts and Nevis
157. Saint Lucia
158. San Marino
159. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
160. Solomon Islands
161. Samoa
162. American Samoa
163. Sao Tome and Principe
164. Senegal
165. Serbia
166. Seychelles
167. Sierra Leone
168. Singapore
169. Slovakia
170. Slovenia
171. Somalia
172. South Sudan
173. Sudan
174. Sri Lanka
175. Sweden
176. Switzerland
177. Suriname
178. Syria
179. Tajikistan
180. Chinese Taipei
181. Tanzania
182. Chad
183. Czech Republuc
184. Thailand
185. East Timor
186. Togo
187. Tonga
188. Trinidad and Tobago
189. Tunisia
190. Turkmenistan
191. Turkey
192. Tuvalu
193. Ukraine
194. Uruguay
195. Vanuatu
196. Venezuela
197. British Virgin Islands
198. Virgin Islands
199. Vietnam
200. Yemen
201. Zambia
202. Zimbabwe
203. Australia (2032 Olympics host)
204. United States (2028 Olympics host)
205. France (2024 Olympics host).
