2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony: Date, start time, TV channel, live stream, key athletes and events

The 2024 Paris Olympics are almost here. Over 10,000 athletes will descend on Paris for a chance to either add to their country's storied history or create some of their own.

The Games' Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, July 26 and features several firsts , including being the first ceremony to be held outside of a stadium, as well as a parade of athletes held on the Seine river with boats for each national delegation. The boats will travel along a 3.7-mile stretch, passing by many iconic Parisian landmarks along the way. The ceremony will conclude with remarks from French President Emmanuel Macron.

The United States will look to build off of past Olympic success in many events, including basketball, swimming, soccer, track and field, and gymnastics. Some key individual athletes on Team USA to watch are Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas. As for team sports, this year's loaded men's basketball squad is aiming to win gold in a fifth straight Olympics, having taken the top prize in 16 previous Games. The same can be said for the women's basketball team, aiming for a historic eighth straight gold medal . The women's soccer team has etched its name in Olympic history as well, winning the inaugural gold medal in 1996 before claiming three straight in 2004, 2008 and 2012, and then a bronze medal in 2021. Finally, the women's gymnastics team hopes to reclaim gold after winning silver at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Other recent gold medal wins include the 2016 Rio Games and 2012 London Games.

Here's how to watch the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony and highlights from the first week of competition.

How to watch the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

• Time: 12 p.m. ET | Date: Friday, July 26
• Location: The Seine River and Trocadero -- Paris
• TV channel: NBC | Streaming: Peacock, NBCOlympics.com

Week 1 Highlights

All times Eastern. A full schedule of events can be found here .

Saturday, July 27

• 5x5 Basketball -- Men's Group Phase
• Group A: Spain vs. Australia -- 5 a.m.
• Group B: Germany vs. Japan -- 7 a.m.
• Swimming Heats, 5 a.m.
• Women's 100m Butterfly
• Women's 400m Freestyle
• Men's 100m Breaststroke
• Men's 400m Freestyle
• Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay
• Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay
• Volleyball: United States vs. Argentina (Prelim. Round, Pool C) -- 3 p.m.

Sunday, July 28

• Gymnastics: Women's Qualification (Subdivision 1) -- 3:30 a.m.
• 5x5 Basketball: United States vs. Serbia (Men's Group Phase, Group C) -- 11:15 a.m.
• Beach Volleyball: United States vs. Czech Republic (Women's Prelim. Phase) -- 4 p.m.
• Football: United States vs. Germany (Women's Group B, #9) -- 3 p.m.

Monday, July 29

• Beach Volleyball: United States vs. France (Men's Prelim. Phase, Pool F) -- 10 a.m.
• Swimming Finals:
• Women's 400m Individual Medley -- 2:30 p.m.
• Men's 200m Freestyle -- 2:40 p.m.
• 5x5 Basketball: United States vs. Japan (Women's Group Phase, Group C) -- 3 p.m.

Tuesday, July 30

• 5x5 Basketball: Spain vs. Greece (Men's Group Phase, Group A) -- 5 a.m.
• Swimming Heats -- 5 a.m.
• Men's 200m Butterfly
• Men's 100m Freestyle
• Women's 1500m Freestyle
• Women's 100m Freestyle
• Men's 200m Breaststroke
• Men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay
• 3x3 Basketball: United States vs. Germany (Women's Pool Round) -- 11:30 a.m.
• Swimming: Men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final -- 4:01 p.m.

Wednesday, July 31

• Swimming Heats -- 5 a.m.
• Women's 200m Backstroke
• Men's 200m Backstroke
• Women's 200m Butterfly
• Beach Volleyball: United States vs. France (Women's Prelim. Phase, Pool C) -- 9 a.m.
• Football: United States vs. Australia (Women's Group B, #15) -- 1 p.m.
• Swimming Finals
• Women's 100m Freestyle Final -- 2:30 p.m.
• Men's 200m Butterfly Final -- 2:36 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 1

• 3x3 Basketball: United States vs. Australia (Women's Pool Round) -- 7 a.m.
• Swimming Finals:
• Women's 200m Butterfly Final -- 2:30 p.m.
• 200m Backstroke Final -- 2:37 p.m.
• Women's 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final -- 3:49 p.m.
• Beach Volleyball: United States vs. China (Women's Prelim. Phase, Pool B) -- 4 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 2

• Swimming Heats -- 5 a.m.
• Men's 100m Butterfly
• Women's 200m Individual Medley
• Women's 800m Freestyle
• Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay
• Track and Field:
• Men's 1500m Round 1 -- 5:05 a.m.
• Women's 100m Round 1 -- 5:50 a.m.
• Women's 5000m Round 1 -- 12:10 p.m.
• Women's 800m Round 1 -- 1:45 p.m
• Volleyball: United States vs. Japan (Men's Prelim. Round, Group C), 3 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 3

• Track and Field:
• Men's 100m Preliminary Round -- 4:35 a.m.
• Men's 100m Round 1 -- 5:45 a.m.
• Women's 4x400m Relay Mixed Final -- 2:55 p.m.
• Women's 100m Final -- 3:20 p.m.
• Artistic Gymnastics: Men's Pommel Horse Final -- 11:16 a.m.
• Swimming: Men's 100m Butterfly Final -- 2:30 p.m.