The 2024 Paris Olympics are right around the corner, and thousands of the world’s best athletes will descend on western Europe for the first full-scale Olympics since the COVID pandemic began.
Whether fans are tuning in to see if Simone Biles will reclaim her spot as the best gymnast in the world, or if Katie Ledecky will once again lap the field in the pool, there are plenty of storylines to follow out of Paris in the coming weeks.
But when do things officially get underway in the 2024 Paris Games? Here’s what to know.
When is the Opening Ceremony?
The Opening Ceremony will take place across Paris on Friday, July 26, incorporating the parade of athletes along the Seine before concluding at the Trocadéro for the traditional lighting of the torch and other ceremonial events.
That ceremony will take place Friday morning in the United States, with the parade along the river kicking off at approximately 12:30 p.m. Central time.
WATCH: Here’s a full schedule of competition for this year’s Olympics
When does competition actually start?
Even though the Opening Ceremony is the unofficial kickoff of the Olympics, competition will actually get started on Wednesday, July 24. Men’s soccer will take center stage on that first day, with the United States taking on the host nation of France at Marseille Stadium as part of a jampacked first day of competition on the pitch.
Rugby sevens will also get underway on that Wednesday, according to the Olympic schedule.
Thursday, July 25 will see more soccer and rugby competition, and team handball will also get underway on the day prior to the Opening Ceremony in Paris.
When is the Closing Ceremony?
The final day of competition will take place on Sunday, Aug. 11. Gold medal games will be contested in basketball, team handball, volleyball and water polo, and the marathon and road cycling races will also take place on the final day of competition.
The closing ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Central time, featuring the extinguishing of the torch and the handoff of the Olympic flag to officials from Los Angeles, the host of the 2028 Olympics.
You can find a full schedule of events on NBCOlympics, with coverage throughout the Olympics airing on the NBC family of networks.