On Friday, July 26, the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics will commence, showcasing athletes from across the globe representing their nations. Team USA alone will feature nearly 600 competitors.
Traditionally, athletes selected to carry their national flags lead the procession. For the Paris Olympics, Team USA has chosen NBA star LeBron James and tennis prodigy Coco Gauff as flag bearers. James received the news from his teammate Steph Curry, while Gauff was informed by her teammate Chris Eubanks.
Already a gold medalist, James will be competing in his fourth Games, having previously earned a bronze in 2004 and gold medals in 2008 and 2012.
"I think just timing," he explained to TODAY’s Craig Melvin about his decision to compete again. "Timing’s everything, and at this point in my career, I still have a lot to give, and Team USA has given a lot to me, so I feel like it’s an opportunity for me to give back."
Gauff, the youngest U.S. athlete ever selected as a flag bearer, will make her Olympic debut in Paris. She reacted emotionally to the news from Eubanks.
"It made me cry yesterday," she shared on TODAY on July 24. "I didn’t want to cry in front of my teammates. When Chris told me, I was holding it in, but when I called my mom, I started crying because it’s so special that so many incredible people think I am worthy of this. It means a lot, truly.”
The flag bearers, one man and one woman, are chosen by their fellow Olympic athletes.
Where to Stream the Opening Ceremony
Viewers can catch the opening ceremony on NBC, Peacock, and the NBC and NBC Olympic apps.
All Olympic events will be live-streamed on NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC app, and the NBC Olympics app. A complete schedule of the Games can be found on these platforms.
NBC’s broadcast of the opening ceremony will be hosted by Mike Tirico, Kelly Clarkson, and Peyton Manning. NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor will be on the Team USA boat with the athletes.
Opening Ceremony Start Time
The opening ceremony begins on Friday, July 26, at 10:30 a.m. PT / 1:30 p.m. ET, and is expected to last approximately 4.5 hours. NBC’s coverage, including a preview show, will start slightly earlier at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET.
An encore presentation with additional elements not in the live show will air in primetime at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT, 6:30 p.m. MT, and 7:30 p.m. PT.
Unlike past ceremonies held in stadiums, this time athletes will arrive by boat, cruising down the River Seine and passing landmarks like Notre-Dame and the Louvre. The procession will start under the Austerlitz Bridge near Jardin des Plantes and conclude near the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadéro, where French President Emmanuel Macron will give a speech and the Olympic torch will be lit.