Paris 2024 opening ceremony: 5 things to watch

(NEXSTAR) – After years of anticipation, and a pair of COVID-dampened games, Paris fully welcomes the world Friday, kicking off 16 days of competition that promise to be ground-breaking, with nearly every corner of the city hosting some aspect of competition.

Perhaps the most anticipated moments of the entire games come at the start on Friday, as organizers shatter tradition to highlight the iconic scenery of Paris. Here’s a look at some of the key themes expected from the Olympic opening ceremonies.

An Uprescedented Spectacle

Using the River Seine as a backdrop, the opening ceremonies have been billed as the most sprawling and elaborate Olympic party ever. Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats nearly 4 miles down the Seine River.

“An opening ceremony has never been held outside of a stadium. There is no model; it’s absolute creation,” Thomas Jolly, artistic director of the opening events recently told The Associated Press.

The French have spent close to a decade working to clean the river in preparation for these games.

Even French President Emmanuel Macron said initially the proposal felt like “a crazy and not very serious idea” — but now the plan includes passing iconic landmarks like the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Organizers hope the show will leave an indelible imprint on the massive global television audience and demonstrate French can-do and say it will aim to showcase France’s heritage, history and creativity.

“It was, of course, a very audacious decision not to go into a stadium but into the city. It will mark the history of our country for quite a long time,” Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris Games organizing committee, told the Associated Press earlier this month.

Organizers have not yet revealed who will have the honor of lighting the ceremonial torch for these games.

The Return of Crowds

The extravagance of the opening ceremony further underscores the departure from recent games because of the end of many COVID restrictions.

Full crowds will be back for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced Tokyo to push back its Games to 2021 and keep spectators away, and the Beijing Winter Games in 2022, when China was locked down.

That return to normal has been a dream for Olympic veterans, who have been eager to have a more traditional experience.

“When Paris happens, I’ll be like, ’OK, wow, like this is a whole new energy. This is it,’” U.S. skateboarder Mariah Duran said following the Tokyo games. “Maybe I had to have the appetizer before the whole meal.”

Duran, and other athletes, will now have far more freedom to roam and take in the city and other events, and they’ll be greeted by massive crowds along the River Seine on Friday, bringing renewed energy to these games. More than 300,000 are expected to take in the opening ceremonies.

Gender Parity

Before the games, the IOC set a goal of a 50-50 split among the more than 11,000 men and women, including backups, registered to compete from July 26 to Aug. 11. However, the latest numbers from the IOC suggest organizers might fall just short of that target.

There is still a slight edge toward men among the 329 medal events at the Paris Olympics. The IOC has said there are 157 men’s events, 152 women’s events and 20 mixed-gender events.

Of the 32 sports, 28 are “ fully gender equal,” the IOC said, including the new event of breaking to music. Rhythmic gymnastics is still for women only but men are allowed to compete in artistic swimming.

The push for parity means there will be a more equal representation of women during the games, both on the playing surfaces and during the opening festivities.

Mystery Performers

We know that 3,000 dancers, artists and athletes will take part in the spectacle, but in recent days, there has been speculation that Celine Dion will perform during the ceremony alongside Lady Gaga.

It would mark the first time the Grammy winner has taken the stage since sharing that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in December 2022.

Gaga was also reportedly seen rehearsing on a floating piano on the River Seine. Some X users have speculated the chromatic hooded figure in a teaser video posted by the Olympic Games last week is a nod to Gaga’s “Chromatica” album.

While neither Dion, Gaga, nor the Olympics have said whether one or either of the pop stars is part of the opening ceremony, TMZ reports it has confirmed the pair will perform “La Vie en Rose.” Gaga sang Édith Piaf’s classic in her 2018 film, “A Star Is Born.”

American Stars

As the host of the next games in Los Angeles, the American delegation will be the penultimate group to launch on the Seine Friday. Carrying the flag will be 20-year-old tennis star Coco Gauff, the youngest flag bearer in Team USA history. NBA great Lebron James will join her, the first member of the Men’s Basketball team to be awarded the honor, as voted by peers.

Polling released Thursday by Gallup suggests American interest in watching the games has slipped during recent games. The last three Olympics, including the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, were held in time zones that limited how much live action NBC could air in prime time, and it remains to be seen whether the Paris games can recapture fan imagination.

Simone Biles and women’s gymnastics are poised to be a bright spot for TV viewers, with those surveyed selecting it as their most anticipated sport.

In all, about 350 Americans are expected to take part in the opening ceremony, which is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. EDT, and will likely last more than three hours.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.