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The 2024 Olympics opening ceremony: The cauldron is lit as Céline Dion steals the show
The 2024 Paris Olympics officially kicked off today with a first-of-its-kind outdoor opening ceremony along the Seine.
NPR live blogged the ceremony all the way through, from behind-the-scenes context to moments of color straight from Paris to the dramatic conclusion.
The ceremony is being streamed by NBC and Peacock again at 7:30 p.m., so feel free to scroll through this blog as you watch ( here’s how to tune in ). Plus, NPR will continue to cover the latest out of Paris online and on air over the next two-plus weeks, so stick with us.
NPR is covering the latest from Paris online and on air over the next two-plus weeks of action.
- Céline Dion, who was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, evoked French icon Edith Piaf with her performance of “ L'Hymne à l'amour."
- The dramatic , sweeping parade down the Seine, featuring moving musical performances, has concluded. Athletes — including from Team USA — have assembled, the Olympic flag has been raised and it’s nearly time for the Games to begin.
- Falling rain didn’t dampen enthusiasm among athletes or spectators. Read more about the Olympic torch’s journey to Paris (with help from Snoop Dogg, who is all over these Games ).
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Got questions about the Parade of Nations? Here’s what to know about the order of delegations, why Hong Kong and China have separate delegations and several notable absences — including Russia, Belarus and Tonga’s shirtless sensation.
The ceremony is over, but it will get another turn in prime time
By Rachel Treisman
It's nighttime in Paris and nearly prime time on the East Coast.
The opening ceremony ended with a flourish, but will air again on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET. The stream will also be available on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com and the NBC/NBC Sports apps.
Scroll back to the beginning of this blog to get all the context and color as you watch, and make sure to check back on NPR.org as we cover all the action to come.
Here's how to follow along over the next two weeks.
How to keep up once the Games begin
By Rachel Treisman
There are 16 days of competition between Friday's production and the closing ceremony, on Aug. 11. You can see the full schedule here.
And despite the six-hour time difference, NBC says U.S.-based viewers will still be able to watch many of the most anticipated events live.
Competition times will run from roughly 3 a.m. ET to 6 p.m. ET, and the network plans to provide at least nine hours of coverage each day.
That includes carrying live competitions during the mornings and afternoons (both on TV and streaming online and on apps) and a three-hour “enhanced Olympic primetime show” each evening consisting of highlights and behind-the-scenes moments from the day’s events.
Viewers can also follow along via NBC Olympics’ social media accounts, including on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.
And of course, NPR’s own Olympics team will bring you recaps, coverage and color — including on the ground in Paris — online and on air over the next few weeks.
- You can find all of NPR’s Paris Olympics stories here on our website.
- To listen to our broadcast coverage, tune to your local NPR station and stream our radio programming on npr.org or the NPR app.
Where and when are the next Olympics?
By Rachel Treisman
The closing ceremony on Aug. 11 doesn't mean the end of the competition. The Paralympics, also hosted in Paris, will run from Aug. 28 through Sept. 8.
Here's what's next in the lineup after that:
- Winter Games in Milan
- Summer Games in Los Angeles
- Winter Games in the French Alps
- Summer Games in Brisbane, Australia
- Winter Games in Salt Lake City
The 2030 and 2034 host cities were just announced this week. Each was the only candidate for those Games, as it's becoming an increasingly expensive gig.
And the big musical surprise is...
By Rachel Treisman
Céline Dion capped off the ceremony with a rousing performance of Edith Piaf's “L'Hymne à l'amour."
It was a rare return to the public stage — let alone the world stage — for the French-Canadian singer, who has rarely performed since she was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in 2022.
The rare and incurable neurological condition causes severe muscle spasms and stiffening in the limbs.
Dion told Vogue France in April that the disease "is still within me and always will be." She said she undergoes athletic, physical and vocal therapy five days a week.
It's a much-anticipated comeback for the singer, who was rumored to be involved in the opening ceremony after being spotted in Paris this week.
And, belting at the base of the Eiffel Tower in a shimmering silver dress, she certainly stole the spotlight.
The cauldron is lit
By Rachel Treisman
As the final athletes lit the Olympic cauldron with the well-traveled torch, a hot air balloon-shaped figure began to glow from within and rise into the sky.
The cauldron pays tribute to the first flight in a hydrogen-filled gas balloon, made by two of its French inventors — the physicist Jacques Charles and one of the two Robert brothers — in December 1783 from the Gardens of the Tuileries.
The torch gets passed down through a long line of French athletic legends
By Rachel Treisman
French tennis player Amélie Mauresmo grabbed the torch and ran it back to the Louvre, to hand it to Tony Parker, the French-American basketball player who played for the San Antonio Spurs in the early aughts.
It continued down the line, passing hands between a number of French Olympians and Paralympians.
Together, they all ran past the Louvre's infamous outdoor pyramid and under the Arc de Triomphe, where they met up with French handball legend Michael Guigou.
The group made their way down the street, the torch still lit despite the rainy evening. In the Tuileries Gardens, they met up with French handballer Allison Pineau, who in turn passed the torch to former fencer Jean-François Lamour, then to a series of cyclists, swimmers and a pole vaulter.
The group of athletes continued to multiply and make its way down the path before handing the torch to the final two, who approached a cauldron in the shape of a hot air balloon.
Head of IOC commends full gender parity at the Olympics for the first time
By Brian Mann
Thomas Bach, the head of the IOC, celebrated the fact that this will be the first Olympic Games in history with gender parity.
For decades, the modern Olympics were largely a male event. In 2024, the IOC issued an equal number of competition opportunities to men and women.
"All of us will experience Olympic Games that are more inclusive, more urban, younger and more sustainable," he said during his speech.
Rafael Nadal gets the last leg of the Olympic torch
By Rachel Treisman
French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane passed the torch to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal.
Broadcasters note it's unusual for an Olympic torch-lighting ceremony to involve a non-native athlete in such a prominent role. If it's any consolation, Nadal, 38, has won 14 French Opens (among his many Grand Slam wins).
As the music builds, the Eiffel Tower — bearing the Olympic rings — alights, only to fade and then start shimmering behind the iconic five-ring symbol.
Nadal did not take the torch to a cauldron as customary, but instead carried it onto another boat, along with other sporting legends including Serena Williams, Nadia Comăneci and Carl Lewis, in a sort of reverse commute.
Olympic officials celebrate the unifying power of sport as Games are declared open
By Rachel Treisman
In brief speeches, Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet — himself an accomplished French Olympian — and IOC President Thomas Bach praised those who made the Games possible and the athletes who made it to the world's stage.
They stressed that the athletes — and spectators — are all part of something bigger than themselves.
Bach said the Olympics unite athletes from more than 200 countries, even during a time of war and conflict, and will give the world a reason to dream and a source of inspiration.
Then French President Emmanuel Macron officially declared the Games open.
Things are getting official: It's time for the flag and the Olympic anthem
By Rachel Treisman
The Olympic flag was raised against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and the sounds of the Olympic Anthem.
It was performed by the Radio France Choir and 90 musicians from the French National Orchestra.
Next up is the presentation of the Olympic Laurel Award and remarks from two Olympic officials. Before long, it'll be time for the torch!
A horsewoman brings the Olympic flag into the spotlight, against a dramatic montage
By Rachel Treisman
A woman draped in the Olympic flag rode a metal horse through the Seine as dramatic music played, in a scene straight out of a movie.
The horsewoman is Floriane Issert, a Gendarmerie noncommissioned officer with the National Gendarmerie, one of France's two armed forces.
She followed the same path as the athletes, through the river and underneath its many bridges, but cut a unique figure in the darkness of night.
As she made her journey, the screen occasionally showed montages of archival photos and videos from past Olympic Games, first in black and white and then more recently in color, set to upbeat music.
Issert then crossed the Iéna Bridge to the Place du Trocadéro. Accompanied by a colorful stream of flag-bearers from each country, she brought the Olympic flag to the big stage — this time riding a real horse.
The mayor of Paris swam in the Seine last week to officially declare it clean
By Eleanor Beardsley
After years of promises and more than $1 billion of investment, Paris’s once-filthy river is finally swimmable. And the mayor proved it just days before the July 26 Olympic deadline.
Journalists and spectators from around the world crowded the banks and bridges of the River Seine to watch Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo take a dip in its murky waters on Wednesday. She was accompanied by members of her cabinet and officials from the Olympic organizing committee.
The clean-up project began in the 1990s under former French President Jacques Chirac, then-mayor of Paris, who had always promised to swim in the river. However, it stalled for over 30 years.
Speaking to reporters after her swim, still dripping in her bathing suit, Hidalgo said she was thinking of Chirac because he was never able to take that swim. “And now we are doing it,” she said, “thanks to the Olympic Games.”
Cleaning the Seine goes beyond the Olympics. Tony Estanguet, president of the 2024 Olympic organizing committee, said, “It’s so meaningful to use the Games to transform the city of Paris, to leave a very important legacy for the people to have an opportunity to swim.”
When Olympics organizers announced they would hold the triathlon and long-distance swimming events in the Seine, cleaning efforts catapulted to the top of the government’s priority list.
Hidalgo's swim was originally scheduled for June, but heavy rains all spring and summer sent the river’s E. coli rates soaring, pushing the date back and threatening the cancellation of athletic events.
Read what it was like in the river on that highly-anticipated day.
Why wasn't Russia or Belarus part of the opening parade?
By Juliana Kim
Russia and Belarus were both missing from the historic floating parade — and that was intentional.
Back in March, the International Olympic Committee announced that the two countries would not be participating in the opening ceremony because their athletes would be competing as "individual neutral athletes."
The IOC added, "But an opportunity will be provided for them to experience the event."
The IOC only allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under that condition in response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
In total, 15 athletes from Russia and 17 from Belarus are set to compete in the 2024 Olympics.
A moving performance of 'Imagine' takes place on a fiery raft
By Rachel Treisman
As the party scene went dark, all eyes went to two performers on a floating raft. Then, as one of them played the opening notes of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Imagine," the piano started to burn — literally.
The performance by pianist Sofiane Pamart and singer Juliette Armanet is meant to celebrate a world reconciled and without borders.
"Imagine" is a permanent element of Olympic protocol, per organizers, having been a highlight of many recent opening ceremonies.
Artists from around the world convened to perform "Imagine " at the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
It's also been performed at the 2012 Olympics in London, and memorably by Stevie Wonder at the closing ceremony of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as a tribute to victims of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing that summer.
The IOC president warns that the future of global sport could be at stake
By Brian Mann
When long-time International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach talks about international sport, he typically paints a glowing picture of the power of peaceful competition.
"They are about togetherness, hope, solidarity, equality, dignity," Bach said in a speech on Monday.
But in a stark shift in tone, Bach also warned that the Olympic movement is threatened by wars and other dark changes in the world.
He described the shifts in global diplomacy as unprecedented since World War II.
"The trends are unfortunately clear," Bach said. "Decoupling of economies, narrow self-interest trumping the rule of law. In this new world order, cooperation and compromise are sadly considered disparaging terms."
Bach has long argued that to preserve the Olympic movement in this dangerous shifting landscape, the IOC has to maintain strict neutrality.
Many critics view that posture as an excuse for the IOC not taking a hard enough line against countries like Russia whose athletes use performance-enhancing drugs systemically.
It also means the IOC often partners closely — and benefits financially — with non-democratic and authoritarian governments, including China and Saudi Arabia.
But in speeches, Bach argued that if the IOC takes sides in a troubled world with "way too many wars and conflicts" half the countries that now participate in the Olympics might drop out.
Bach's controversial balancing act means athletes from Russia and Ukraine will compete in Paris. So will Israeli and Palestinian athletes.
There is also a "team" of 37 refugees, many from African and Middle Eastern countries, representing displaced persons around the world.
But as global diplomacy grows more complex — and more divisive — it’s not clear Bach's approach can keep everyone at the Olympic table.
Read more here.
It's not Fashion Week, but Paris still put on a show
By Alana Wise
Paris made it clear it takes its position as a fashion capital of the world seriously during the opening ceremony, converting the Debilly Footbridge into a catwalk for an evening fashion show.
The show featured French celebrities dressed by up-and-coming French designers, including designs by Alphonse Maitrepierre, C-R-E-O-L-E, and Gilles Asquin.
Models stomped the runway amid the rain to a musical set by Barbara Butch, a French DJ and LGBTQ activist.
Here's why the cameras just panned to athletes in Tahiti
By Rachel Treisman
Why did the cameras pan to a bunch of athletes on the beach? Because surfing events are being held in Tahiti, nearly 9,800 miles from Paris.
Tracing USA Gymnastics' journey from rock bottom back to Olympic dominance
By Becky Sullivan
At the start of 2018, things were grim for USA Gymnastics.
The organization that oversees one of the country's most popular Olympic sports was at an all-time low following a massive sexual abuse scandal. It faced shutdown by U.S. Olympic officials. Lawsuits were piling up. Major sponsors, such as AT&T and UnderArmour, had fled.
And perhaps the biggest critics were former gymnasts themselves, who began to speak more openly about a problematic culture in gymnastics that had long been overshadowed by years of Olympic success.
Now, six years later, the overhaul has been significant. No U.S. team is better poised for success in Paris than the women's gymnastics squad. The five-member team, led by 27-year-old Olympic veteran Simone Biles, is expected to win several gold medals, including the team all-around.
"People turned a blind eye to the abuse," said Dominique Dawes, a member of the 1996 Olympic squad that won the team all-around gold medal at the Summer Games in Atlanta. "People talked about the toxic culture, they talked about the abuses. But I think people were just in awe of what we were able to accomplish."
Now, the culture at USA Gymnastics has improved, Dawes and others said. A new organization oversees athlete safety and competitors are more empowered to raise concerns. Yet more progress may be needed before the turnaround can be considered complete.
"The thing is, I think there will always need to be work that needs to be done," Dawes said.
Read the full story here.
Team USA's flag bearers are LeBron James and Coco Gauff
By Rachel Treisman
Becky Sullivan
Carrying Team USA's flags at the opening ceremony are two stars of their respective sports: basketball's LeBron James and tennis player Coco Gauff.
NPR's Becky Sullivan brought us these details when the two were selected earlier this week:
James, 39, is a 20-time NBA All-Star and became the NBA’s all-time scoring leader last year. In the Olympics, he has led Team USA to medals three times, two of them gold.
His first Olympic appearance came 20 years ago, in Athens, when he was just 19 years old. That team won bronze — the only time that Team USA failed to win the gold medal since professional players were allowed to participate starting in 1992. After winning gold in 2008 and 2012, James skipped the Games in 2016 and 2021. Now, he has returned for what is likely to be his final Olympic appearance.
James was nominated to be a flag bearer by his teammate and fellow NBA All-Star Steph Curry.
"We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position, and I think Bron's entire career on and off the court speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor," Curry said in a video nomination.
Read more here.
Gauff, 20, will be the youngest ever U.S. flag bearer at an Olympic opening ceremony. (The gymnast Simone Biles carried the U.S. flag at the 2016 closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro when she was 19.) Gauff will also be the first tennis player to hold the honor.
"I never thought in a million years I would have the honor of carrying the American flag for Team USA in the opening ceremony,” Gauff said. “I could not be more proud to lead my teammates with LeBron as we showcase our dedication and passion on the biggest stage there is — at a moment where we can bring athletes and fans together from around the world."
Gauff is currently ranked by the Women's Tennis Association as the world's second-ranked female player. She won the U.S. Open in 2023, her first Grand Slam title.
This year marks Gauff's first Olympic appearance after she was forced to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when she tested positive for COVID-19.
Read more here.
Where's Tonga's shirtless sensation, Pita Taufatofua?
By Rachel Treisman
Pita Taufatofua has become nearly synonymous with the Olympic Games (both summer and winter) since his bare, oiled-up chest first stole the show at the 2016 Rio opening ceremony.
Taufatofua competed in taekwondo in Rio and Tokyo and participated in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics as a cross-country skier ( after just 12 weeks of training in snow ).
He skipped the 2022 Olympics, focusing instead on relief efforts for Tonga in the wake of the deadly volcano eruption and ensuing tsunami. Taufatofua decided not to try to qualify after the tragedy struck, but hinted his Olympic career wasn't over.
"Paris 'we' are coming!" he wrote on Instagram that year.
So where is he today? Conspicuously absent from Tonga's delegation at the opening ceremony.
Taufatofua announced on Instagram in April that while he "gave my absolute everything" in both Taekwondo and kayaking, he didn't qualify for either sport.
"Sorry Paris, the five gallons of extra virgin coconut oil I've been stock piling 'may' have to wait ;)," he added.
In a happy turn of events, however, Taufatofua made it to Paris this week after all, just not as a competitor.
"Looks like I might be getting that kiss under the Eiffel Tower after all," the 40-year-old posted on Instagram last week.
Taufatofua said he was ready to make other plans after not qualifying, like working on his second book and building training facilities for youth. But, he said, "the spirit of the Games called me, opportunities arose and I couldnt say no."
"This time the medal I fight for is to be of service, to be there for my fellow athletes, an ear of support or a voice of encouragement," he added. "To share what I have learnt and more importantly to hear the stories of the other Olympians, these amazing human beings getting ready to represent their nations."
It's not clear exactly what Taufatofua's role will be, though he thanked the Paris Games organizing committee, the IOC and its president, the IOC initiative Athlete 365 and the Believe in Sport program.
"My runners are dusted off, my shirts are two sizes too small and our little team is ready to serve," he added.
On Friday, hours before the opening ceremony, Taufatofua posted a picture of himself — wearing all-white — carrying the Olympic torch in the streets of Paris.
"Et Voila," he wrote. "The reason I couldn't bring the oil 😉🔥 May the Games Begin!"
Facing scandal and condemnation, Russia fields a tiny Olympic team
By Brian Mann
Three years ago, more than 330 Russian athletes arrived in Tokyo for the most recent Summer Games. It was a powerhouse contingent that scored 71 Olympic medals.
This year in Paris, International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials say Russia will field scarcely more than a dozen athletes.
"We have 15 [athletes] with Russian passports," said Kit McConnell, the IOC's sports director, who added that the number who actually compete may change.
McConnell noted that Russian athletes will compete in only 10 sports disciplines, down from 30 just a few years ago.
The dramatic decline in Russia's involvement in the Olympic movement follows years of doping scandals that began in 2014, heightened by international condemnation that followed Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ahead of the Paris Games, the IOC invited dozens of Russian athletes to compete, but only as neutrals.
They would not be allowed to fly the Russian flag or play their country's national anthem.
IOC rules also banned any Russian athletes who are "actively supporting" the invasion of Ukraine, or who have served in Russia's military.
Russian officials balked at those limitations, describing them as "unacceptable."
In a statement issued last month, Russia's national judo federation said its athletes would decline to compete.
"Until the very end, we had hoped that common sense and a desire to hold full-fledged Olympic Games with athletes from Russia and Belarus would prevail over political intrigues," the statement said.
Russia's weightlifting federation also issued a statement saying its athletes would not compete, despite qualifying for the Paris Games.
This is the smallest Russian involvement in the Summer Olympics since 1984, when Moscow boycotted the Los Angeles Games entirely.
Belarus, one of Russia's closest allies, will also send far fewer athletes to Paris, down from 101 in 2021 to just 17 this summer.
Read more here about Russia's path from powerhouse to pariah.
French rapper Rim'K shouts out Snoop Dogg
By Rachel Treisman
Algerian-French rapper Rim'K, wearing a red-and-black checkered jacket by Louis Vuitton, took to the stage to perform a song called "King."
In the song, he notably name-checks rapper and Olympic enthusiast-slash-torchbearer-slash-commentator Snoop Dogg.
Afterward, the NBC hosts checked in with Snoop, who was rocking his Team USA blazer and a pair of shades, dancing with umbrella and microphone in hand.
"Like a drive-in movie, baby," he said with a smile.
How the opening ceremony came together over nearly 2 years
By Rachel Treisman
July 26, 2024 at 3:30 PM EDT
Today's ceremony is the work of a team of about 20 artists and designers, led by Thomas Jolly, a French director and the artistic director and founder of the theater company La Piccola Familia.
Jolly, 42, also served as the director of Le Quai, a national drama center from early 2020 until late 2022, when he resigned after being appointed the artistic director of the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies.
“As soon as I was appointed, I knew that I had to bring together authors to develop the story of this unique ceremony, at the heart of Paris, its history and its monuments, and thus enable the whole world to immerse itself in French culture at its most exceptional," Jolly said.
He assembled a team of creatives from different backgrounds, including scriptwriter Fanny Herrero, writer Leila Slimani, historian Patrick Boucheron and playwright Damien Gabriac.
That group met "every day" from November 2022 to April 2023 to develop the ceremony storyline, according to organizers.
Then they passed the baton to a core artistic team of music, dance, costume, set and lighting experts who "took the raw material and translated, each in their own artistic field, what was on the paper into a live, visual and televisual show."
It was then time to build the sets and cast the artists, acrobats, choreographers, musicians, dancers and singers who would bring it to life. Organizers say the rehearsal period stretched from January of this year to July 25 — the day before the big show.
Why do Hong Kong and China have separate delegations?
By Alana Wise
Viewers of the opening ceremony might have noticed something during the floating parade of nations — China had a delegation of athletes, but Hong Kong had a separate team. Why is that?
Well, despite being located within China, Hong Kong — along with Macau— maintains its status as a special administrative region (SAR) of the country.
That means that Hong Kong essentially governs itself, though China has attempted to tighten its grip on the region in recent years.
That also means two separate teams competing for the gold.
The biggest and smallest delegations
By Rachel Treisman
Some countries' boats — and Olympic delegations — are bigger than others.
Some of the countries with the largest number of competing athletes are the U.S. (592), France (573), Australia (460) and Germany (427).
The smallest delegations include Brunei, which sent three athletes to Paris. Four countries — Belize, Liechtenstein, Nauru and Somalia — are sending just one competitor each.
The Minions' starring role, explained
By Rachel Treisman
Wondering what the Despicable Me Minions were doing onscreen? And more specifically — are they French?
Sort of. The little yellow dudes are voiced by one of their creators, Pierre Coffin, who is French. And the animation of the franchise is thanks to Illumination Studios Paris.
Olympic organizers note that "from photography to animated films, from comic strips to video games, French inventors and authors have given the world the tools to represent itself."
They shared a gold medal at the last Summer Olympics. Now they’re flagbearers
By Bill Chappell
Three years ago, Olympic high jumpers Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy made an extraordinary request that melted hearts at the Tokyo Summer Olympics and around the world.
"Can we have two golds?" Barshim, then the reigning world champion in the event, asked an official.
He and Tamberi had spent the most intense moments of the competition inspiring each other to reach new heights. Their show of sportsmanship and friendship became a phenomenon — and now that they’re back for the Paris Olympics, Barshim and Tamberi were selected as flagbearers for the opening ceremony.
On that day in 2021, the two athletes simply could not outdo one another. To determine an outright winner, the bar was set at the Olympic record (2.39 meters, or 7.84 feet). Neither Barshim nor Tamberi could clear that height cleanly. So to end their breath-taking duel, they were told to get ready to go through a “jump-off” to see who would fail to clear a lowered bar first.
But the two athletes had another idea. And once the presiding official agreed it was possible to share a gold medal, they slapped hands and hugged, celebrating an unlikely dual finish atop the podium.
The pair were both on the podium again at last year's World Athletics Championships in Budapest — but Tamberi won gold, while Barshim won bronze. The silver medal went to Team USA's Juvaughn Harrison.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, qualifying for the men’s high jump is on Aug. 7, and the final is on Aug. 10.
French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura takes to a golden runway
By Rachel Treisman
Singer-songwriter Aya Nakamura, who emigrated from Mali to France as a child, performed a mashup of her songs Pookie and Djadja in a gold outfit on a runway on the Pont des Arts, which links the Institut de France to the Louvre.
Nakamura is France's most popular singer at home and abroad, with the New York Times reporting in March that she had 25 Top 10 singles in France.
Rain intensifies but energy remains high for ceremony
By Juliana Kim
As feared — rain is pouring down on the opening ceremony.
About an hour into the festivities, the downpour intensified and a light fog blanketed the city. Pianist Alexandre Kantorow performed his set while getting soaked. His piano got wet too.
Thankfully, many spectators and athletes came prepared with umbrellas and ponchos.
Despite the steady downpour — which is expected to last through the evening — cheers and smiles could be seen throughout the event. Energy remains high for the historic ceremony.
What's the deal with those giant floating heads?
By Rachel Treisman
If you're watching the Parade of Nations, you probably noticed that the boats are floating past a series of ginormous heads submerged in the water.
The portraits are a tribute to the French tradition of caricature, per organizers. They depict 10 emblematic figures:
- Arsène Lupin
- Yvette Horner
- Barbara
- Colette
- Joan of Arc
- Marie Curie
- Marcel Proust
- Cyrano de Bergerac
- Marcel Marceau
- Joséphine Baker
The Olympic medals include pieces of the Eiffel Tower
By Rachel Treisman
An earlier part of the presentation focused on craftsmanship and gave us a look at this year's Olympic and Paralympic medals.
They were designed by Chaumet, a House of the LVMH group, and made by the Monnaie de Paris, which also struck the medals for the Games of Athens in 1896, Paris in 1900 and Paris of 1924.
A total of 5,084 medals were produced for these Games, all "crafted like jewels and set with a piece of the Eiffel Tower," organizers say.
The three cases used to protect and display them were made in the Louis Vuitton workshop in Asnières-sur-Seine.
Metal, Les Mis and a beheaded Marie Antoinette
By Alana Wise
Performers at the opening ceremony in Paris leaned into France’s epic and bloody history, mixing themes from the historical novel Les Misérables and heavy metal.
Dancers played out themes from the Victor Hugo novel-turned-musical, appearing to move through the Parisian sewers — where story protagonist Jean Valjean evaded police on the crime of theft.
A single shot of the word “ Liberté ” flashed across the screen, before a beheaded Marie Antoinette appeared and launched viewers to a heavy-metal performance back at the River Seine.
The Notre Dame bells rang for the first time since the 2019 fire
By Rachel Treisman
The bells of the Notre Dame sounded during the ceremony, which NBC announcers said was the first time they have sounded since the historic cathedral caught fire in April 2019.
It's in the process of being restored and is set to reopen later this year.
Why is the parade of athletes in that order?
By Lola Murti
The parade of athletes, also known as the parade of nations, changes its order for each Olympic Games. Here’s the methodology behind it:
Greece always leads the parade to pay homage to its role as the site of the first Olympics.
At the 2020 Tokyo Games, the Refugee Olympic team followed Greece. It’s unconfirmed whether that order will remain the same.
The host country always concludes the parade, which means France will be last to march.
The countries at the end of the parade, right before France, are the future hosts for the Summer Games. This will be Australia, which is hosting in 2032, and the United States, which is hosting in 2028. This is a newer tradition, started at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The remaining teams go in alphabetical order, based on the official language of the host country. This year, that language is French, which explains why South Africa (or Afrique du Sud,) is expected to precede Albania (which is Albanie in French).
An overview of the 12 'tableaux' of the ceremony
By Rachel Treisman
The parade of athletes is cruising through 12 different tableaux along the Seine, each with a distinct value and vibe:
- The first tableau, beginning at the Austerlitz Bridge, plays on the centuries-old stereotypes of an enchanted, playful and sparkling Paris, according to organizers.
- This gold-hued scene puts French craftspeople in the spotlight, paying tribute to the "prestige of the host city and to the people of Paris, who are in sync."
- The next theme highlights the peoples' thirst for political and personal emancipation, per organizers, from the French Revolution onward.
- Organizers say this is the tableau where history and modernity meet, highlighting the unifying power of the French language.
- Fraternity is the third founding principle of the French Republic, and on this day, a journey through the history of the arts.
- This section features the flag and national anthem of France, "a symbol of unification and a call to pay tribute to the women of France's history."
- This tableau highlights France's relationship with modern sports.
- The last section of the parade marks the arrival of France's delegation and the start of the festivities, showcasing fashion, dance and cultures from around the world.
- This section acknowledges what organizers call "the evils of the world," and features the requisite performance of the peace anthem, Imagine.
- A horsewoman galloping on the Seine represents the call for peace and solidarity, inviting the world to unite around the values of the Olympics.
- This is the "protocol sequence," featuring the presentation of the Olympic Laurel Award, official speeches, the revealing of the Olympic rings and the official opening of the Games.
- This is the last leg of the Olympic torch's journey to the cauldron. The organizers promise "one last twist" and a "majestic finale," featuring "sporting legends, legendary places and a world-famous artist."
It's not just you, there is an unidentified torchbearer hopping across rooftops
By Rachel Treisman
NBC's broadcast keeps cutting to a mysterious hooded figure, carrying a torch and jumping from roof to roof high above the parade.
At one point, the figure — wearing a gauzy cloth over his face — even zip-lined across the sky, torch in hand.
Organizers say the figure — and his old-timey costume — are "based on a number of masked characters who have left their mark on French culture: Belphégor, the Iron Mask, the Phantom of the Opera, Fantomas, Ezio from Assassin's Creed and Arsène Lupin."
American spectators show up to Paris in Team USA swag
By Brian Mann
Fatima Al-Kassab
Juana Summers
It was a moment of firsts for Devin Bernard and her 17-year-old daughter Jaelyn Bradley from California. It was not only their first time attending the Olympics but the pair’s first visit to Europe.
Bernard said they wanted to see the Olympics in person for years and they were sold when they heard this year’s summer games would be held in France.
“Paris, no better city to experience the opening ceremony and all the events,” she said.
Excitement had also taken over Rosita Fuchs, who came to Paris from Reno, Nev., with her husband. Despite the light downpour in the city, Fuchs said she’s still “excited about everything no matter what the weather is.”
She plans to watch the opening ceremony at a viewing site in Hotel de Ville.
David Robbins and Katrina Palanca, from San Antonio, Texas, stood near the Seine River both dressed as the Statue of Liberty. The costumes were Palanca’s idea and Robbins immediately backed it.
“He brought up that it was a nice representation of both the U.S. and France, because France gifted it to the U.S.,” Palanca said. “And I almost chickened out, but he was like, no it’s a good idea.”
When asked what — or who — they were most looking forward to seeing, they responded in unison: French basketball star Victor Wembanyama, who is on the San Antonio Spurs. Wembanyama will make his Olympic debut this weekend, playing for Team France.
Lady Gaga and pink pompoms deliver the day's first musical number
By Rachel Treisman
The first musical performance of the event is from American star Lady Gaga. She emerged theatrically from behind a heart-shaped plume of pink feathers, wearing a black leotard, long black gloves and a feathery headpiece.
She performed the iconic French song "Mon truc en plumes" by Zizi Jeanmaire as black-clad dancers shook pink pom poms around her. Lady Gaga briefly sat down at a piano to play a few bars, all at the foot of a golden staircase on the banks of the Seine.
Spectators are glued to TV screens as the opening ceremony unfolds
By Becky Sullivan
The broadcast has begun! The crowd along the Seine River has quieted completely.
Screens every 100 feet or so along the riverside are showing a live French broadcast of the opening ceremony. The crowd is glued to the screens, reacting with wild laughter and gasps.
Warm applause for the TV broadcast introducing French President Emmanuel Macron and President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach.
Huge plumes of smoke — colored red, white and blue for the French flag — burst from the first bridge, the Pont d'Austerlitz, to mark the start of the river portion of the ceremony.
The Parade of Nations has begun
By Rachel Treisman
The Parade of Nations has begun, as countries' delegations float down the Seine, waving flags and waving to riverside spectators.
Greece went first, as is customary for the birthplace of the Olympics. The Refugee Olympic Team followed shortly after, with the rest of the countries following in alphabetical order based on the French language — with some key exceptions.
Some big stars will carry their nations’ flags at the opening ceremony
By Bill Chappell
Tennis champion Coco Gauff and NBA great LeBron James are the flagbearers for the U.S. Olympic team, joining other stars, Olympic champions and world record holders in one of the most distinct honors for athletes at an Olympics.
Other notable names include gold medalist diver (and diverting knitter ) Tom Daley of Team GB.
Other NBA players are also carrying flags: Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) and Germany’s Dennis Schröder (Brooklyn Nets). And Belgium tapped former WNBA All-Star Emma Meesseman, who won a championship with the Washington Mystics.
Two athletes competing in breaking, a new Olympic sport, will carry flags: Shigekix of Japan, and Quake of Taiwan (which competes at the Olympics under the name Chinese Taipei ).
You shouldn’t expect to see any surfers bearing flags — or in Paris: they’re halfway around the world, because their competition, also a new Olympic sport, is being held in Tahiti.
Who are the Refugee Olympic Team flag bearers?
By Bill Chappell
It’s traditional for Greece to lead the parade of athletes — but the second group of Olympians floating down the Seine at the opening ceremony in Paris is composed of people who have been displaced from their homelands.
The 2024 refugee team has a record 37 members; they train in a total of 15 host countries.
Like other teams, they will be led by two flag bearers: boxer Cindy Ngamba, who was born in Cameroon and moved to the U.K. at the age of 11; and Yahya Al Ghotany of Syria, who began practicing taekwondo after bringing his family to Jordan (both of Jordan’s flag bearers are also taekwondo athletes).
Almost all of the athletes are selected from the International Olympic Committee’s refugee athlete scholarship program, which helps support their training.
“The refugee team is a beacon for people everywhere,” the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said today. “These athletes show what can be achieved when talent is recognized and developed, and when people have opportunities to train and compete alongside the best. They are nothing short of an inspiration.”
Why we're seeing Snoop Dogg all over the Olympics
By Lola Murti
Snoop Dogg is seemingly inescapable at these Olympic Games.
He ran the 200-meter sprint at the track and field trials and carried the iconic Olympic flame for its final stretch before the opening ceremony. And he's just getting started.
The rapper is serving as a special correspondent for NBC in their coverage, providing commentary alongside NBC Olympics host Mike Tirico. He’s slated to visit Paris landmarks, interact with athletes and share his insights from the games during “Primetime in Paris.”
The network first announced Snoop Dogg’s role in a statement in December.
Did somethin today. 💯👊🏿🔥 #FollowTheDogg pic.twitter.com/G4ugnUFssO
“I grew up watching the Olympics and am thrilled to see the incredible athletes bring their A-game to Paris. It’s a celebration of skill, dedication, and the pursuit of greatness,” he said, promising to bring his “Snoop style to the mix.”
It’s not Snoop Dogg’s first Olympic appearance, as he hosted Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg for Peacock during the 2020 Tokyo games. A clip of their commentary on the dressage event went viral.
In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Snoop Dogg named the “rave horse” from the event as the athlete he is the most excited to meet.
Snoop Dogg has already shared frequent updates on X, posing with athletes and having his own photo shoots. He’s not the only rapper with an Olympic presence this year, as Flavor Flav is the “official hype-man” of the American women’s water polo team.
The opening ceremony, by the numbers
By Rachel Treisman
Here's a breakdown of the opening ceremony, according to organizers:
- will travel down the river.
- will be watching from 124 grandstands.
- are scheduled to be in attendance (though it's unclear how many will miss it due to travel disruptions ).
- for the ceremony, including some
- on display throughout.
- Along the route will be
We are seeing athletes' smiles again at the Paris Olympics, in a striking shift
By Bill Chappell
Every Olympics is unique, but one huge shift makes Friday’s opening ceremony in Paris different from the last two iterations: For the first time since the 2018 Winter Games, athletes aren’t under universal mask mandates and quarantine rules.
Health and safety protocols remain in place to stop known cases of COVID-19 from spreading. But if an athlete does test positive for the coronavirus that sparked a global pandemic, they’re not required to undergo the same level of isolation as in Tokyo, for instance.
Case in point: Five athletes from the Australian women's water polo team in Paris who tested positive for COVID-19 this week are feeling well enough to practice — so they are, wearing masks and keeping themselves separate from other Olympians.
“We treat COVID no differently to any other respiratory illness,” Australian chef de mission Anna Meares said on Wednesday, “but we want to ensure that we have our protocols working as well and dealing with these illnesses and minimizing them is a part and parcel of every Olympic Games.”
All eyes are on Paris, but surfing competitions will be in Tahiti
By Rachel Treisman
Paris is officially hosting the Summer Games, but dozens of Olympians will compete at a venue nearly 9,800 miles away.
Forty-eight surfers will hit the waves off the coast of Teahupo’o, a small village in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti.
It’s not the only Olympic event taking place off-premises: Sailing competitions are happening hundreds of miles south, in Marseilles, while soccer matches will be held a two-hour train ride away, in Bordeaux.
But Tahiti is the farthest of this year’s 35 venues — and the farthest Olympic competition away from its host city since 1956, when Australia’s equine quarantine policies required the Melbourne Olympics to hold equestrian events in Stockholm.
Paris officials say the decision to hold surfing competitions at Teahupo’o aligns with their goal to “spread the Games across France.”
“It offers an opportunity to engage French overseas territories and their communities in the Olympic Games — for the first time in history — while showcasing France’s rich and diverse heritage,” they added.
Even when the competitors are not in the water, they’ll be on the water, living in what organizers are calling the first-ever floating Olympic Village : a cruise ship packed with amenities including a 24-hour dining hall, a gift shop, a waterslide and a tattoo parlor.
“I think our athlete village in tahiti is better than the actual one in paris,” Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi captioned a TikTok video of the accommodations.
Read more here about how surfing, one of the newest Olympic sports, ended up on the island.
Flavor Flav clocks in for his shift as USA women's water polo hype man
By Rachel Treisman
Flavor Flav is embracing his new gig as official hype man of the U.S. women's water polo team.
The Team USA X (formerly Twitter) account shared a video on Friday morning of Flav — whose real name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr. — clocking in for his shift.
The rapper and founding member Public Enemy wore a USA jersey and a water polo timepiece around his neck as he autographed a clock.
. @FlavorFlav clocks in for the #ParisOlympics ⏰ pic.twitter.com/cDwqQtdZ9l
"Flavor Flav, what more can I say," he said. "The only thing that I can say is USA, USA! Yeah that's right, we're gonna bring home the gold, baby. All of it."
How did Flav become one of the faces of women's water polo?
It started back in May, when the 65-year-old connected with captain Maggie Steffens via Instagram.
Steffens posted about her experience with the team — which is vying for a historic fourth consecutive gold in Paris — and encouraged would-be supporters to check it out.
She wrote that most Olympians, herself included, need to take on a second or third job to afford the training, travel, lodging and other necessities to fight for their dreams.
Her post struck a chord with many fans, including Flav.
He commented: "As a girl dad and supporter of all women’s sports - imma personally sponsor you my girl,,, whatever you need. And imma sponsor the whole team. My manager is in touch with your agent and imma use all my relationships and resources to help all y’all even more. That’s a FLAVOR FLAV promise."
The result was a five-year sponsorship deal between Flav and USA Water Polo. According to the AP, he made an undisclosed financial contribution to the women's program and agreed to collaborate on social media to shine a brighter spotlight on the women's team.
He prepped for the Olympics by attending several women's games, including joining players in the pool during training earlier this month.
Flav is reportedly planning to attend the Olympic openers for both U.S. women — against Greece on Saturday — and men — versus Italy on Sunday.
Read more here from NPR's Brian Mann in Paris.
The opening ceremony is cruising toward the history books
By Emma Bowman
Nearly 100 boats carrying more than 10,000 athletes and performers will glide down a 3.7-mile stretch of the River Seine during the Olympics opening ceremony. It's the first time in the history of the modern Games that the opening will be held outside of a stadium, officials say.
The open-air event is expected to draw some 300,000 spectators — most of whom will pay no admission fee to watch the parade from the river’s upper embankments.
The parade will travel east to west, starting at Austerlitz Bridge, then pass by major landmarks and event venues like the Grand Palais. The parade is set to end at the Pont d'Iéna bridge before a finale show at the Trocadéro, opposite the Eiffel Tower.
Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris Games organizing committee, described the vision for the ceremony when the plan was announced in 2021.
"The entire city has been turned into a vast Olympic stadium. The Seine represents the track, and the quays the spectators' stands," Estanguet said.
The parade’s route also offers a sightseeing tour of some of the temporary sports venues, including an outdoor arena abutting the Eiffel Tower where beach volleyball games will take place.
Scenes around Paris as the city waits for the opening ceremony
By Brian Mann
Becky Sullivan
Juana Summers
In central Paris, after a week of relative quiet, huge crowds are lining up under light rain to watch the historic opening ceremony along the Seine. Meanwhile, security is tight, complicating travel in the French capital.
On the left bank of the Seine, police were stationed near the Jardin Tino Rossi, checking passports and bags. A long list of items are prohibited, including bike helmets and large bottles. Lines to pass through security checks stretched for blocks and ticket holders had to proceed through multiple checkpoints to reach the river.
When ticket holders arrive at their seats on the lower quays, they are each treated to a miniature French flag. The fans here are not all French, though — represented in the seats right near Becky are folks from the U.S., Mexico, Spain and more.
Near the Louvre, the atmosphere is festive, with many people ordering beers and standing in line at fa variety of food stands including a fromagerie, a pasta stand and what appears to be a grilled cheese shop.
Here are some major Olympic storylines we'll be watching
By Rachel Treisman
There's a lot to keep track of during the Olympics, with tens of thousands of competitors, hundreds of events and dozens of sports.
NPR's Emma Bowman, who is on the ground in Paris, has this helpful overview of some of the major storylines to watch:
- A swimmable Seine?
- Breaking will make its Olympics debut.
- Simone Biles leads American gymnasts’ shot at redemption.
- Ledecky and Dressel headline the U.S. swim team.
- A Chinese doping scandal casts a shadow over swimming.
- The rivalry between American and Jamaican sprinters.
Read the full story.
The Olympic torch arrived in Paris. Here's why that's important
By Juliana Kim
The torch has been a fixture of the Olympics since the beginning, when ancient Greeks considered fire to be a divine element. The modern Olympics continue to pay homage to that era with a perpetual fire.
In 1936, the Summer Olympics in Berlin were the first Games in which a flame that was lit in Olympia, Greece, (the birthplace of the ancient Olympic games,) was brought to the host city — to further honor the ancient games and link the past to the present, according to the International Olympic Committee.
In late April this year, the Olympic flame was ignited using a parabolic mirror and the heat of the sun in front of the ruins of the temple of goddess Hera in Greece. The perpetual fire traveled 12 days across the Mediterranean Sea and arrived in Marseille, France, in early May.
From there, 11,000 people were tasked as torchbearers over the next two months while the Olympic flame toured across the country — as a declaration that the Olympics are near and driving home the Games' message of peace and unity.
On Friday, American hip-hop star Snoop Dog was among the final torch-bearers. It remains a mystery who will be the final torch bearer to light the cauldron.
The flame for the Paralympic Games will be kindled in Stoke Mandeville, England, shortly after the Olympics' closing ceremony.
Security is heightened in Paris as the ceremony nears
By Russell Lewis
Security is intense in Paris — especially in areas along the Seine.
Tens of thousands of police and military personnel have descended upon the city and you see them literally everywhere.
Many have machine guns, and the wail of police sirens echoes across Paris as they respond to calls and escort dignitaries through the car-choked and crowded city.
Metal barricades and intense security zones ring the opening ceremony route. And airspace will be shut down in a 90-mile radius around Paris.
France's high-speed train lines were sabotaged hours before the ceremony
By Fatima Al-Kassab
PARIS — Just hours before the Olympic opening ceremony in the French capital, rail networks around the country were brought to a standstill by a series of arson attacks on train lines in what officials called “coordinated acts of malice.”
Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the attacks on the infrastructure of France's high-speed rail lines. The disruption has brought chaos to the country’s busiest railway lines and caused delays and cancellations across Paris’ train stations. There are no known reports of injuries.
French railway operator SNCF said it was a “massive attack aimed at paralyzing the network” and confirmed that three high-speed lines servicing the west, north and east of France have been affected, while an attack on a fourth line going south had been foiled. Some 800,000 passengers will be affected, with disruption expected to last throughout the weekend.
Half of the trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris via one western rail line were halted. Some athletes are expected to miss the opening ceremony.
Early Friday afternoon local time, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said the attacks “were carried out on nerve centers of our high-speed rail system,” which he said showed “a good knowledge of the system and where to strike.”
In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 Friday afternoon, France’s transport minister, Patrice Vergriete, confirmed that a number of incendiary devices had been found by authorities investigating the cause of the attacks but did not say who might be behind the attacks. He described it as a “criminal act” and said security forces were on high alert.
Read more here.
The Paris 2024 Olympic mascots are... hats. Here's why
By Bill Chappell
It's a symbol of revolution and freedom, of striving. And it's a hat. It's an icon seen over centuries, from the Notre Dame Cathedral to the Eiffel Tower. And yes, it's still a hat.
More specifically, it's a Phrygian cap, the red bonnet famously worn by Marianne, the artistic personification of the free French republic. But since the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics unveiled the hat as their official mascots, the mascot has met with wide-ranging reactions — and interpretations.
"It's the French spirit that came to us, this French spirit that makes us a slightly out-of-the-ordinary nation," explained Paris 2024 Brand Director Julie Matikhine, in a video celebrating the mascots' unveiling.
As happens when a national spirit combines with the Olympic spirit, the mascots are also being packaged into nearly 10,000 types of products, from plush toys to hoodies, electronics and luggage.
The mascots are named the Phryges — Olympic Phryge and Paralympic Phryge. And before we get into the responses to them, we should note that the Paris 2024 mascots do something important, even revolutionary: Apart from the Paralympic Phryge having a racing blade where its counterpart has a leg, they are nearly identical.
That's a wide departure from previous Games, where the Olympic and Paralympic mascots have often had different colors and designs, or were represented by different species altogether. At Rio 2016, for instance, one mascot was a cat-like chimera, while the other was a very cute tree.
For Paris 2024, it's a way to emphasize that despite differing appearances and events, athletes in the Olympics and Paralympics are just that: athletes.
"They've been brought together and it's the same world, the same family," said Joachim Roncin, who led the mascot design effort.
Read more here about their backstories.
How to watch the opening ceremony
By Rachel Treisman
The opening ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. in Paris) and is expected to last a little over four hours. The traveling ceremony will float along the Seine from east to west, ending with a final show at the Trocadéro.
NBC, which has a lock on Olympics coverage, will kick things off with a preview show starting at noon ET. It will broadcast the entire ceremony live on TV and stream it via Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com and the NBC/NBC Sports apps.
Their opening ceremony coverage will be hosted by Kelly Clarkson, Peyton Manning and Mike Tirico, with contributions from Today hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb.
And don’t worry if you can’t give the spectacle your full attention in the middle of the day.
We'll be live blogging the opening ceremony throughout the afternoon right here on NPR.org. NBC will also stream the ceremony again in primetime starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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