Visitors to Paris can no longer watch the Olympic opening ceremony for free

The Olympic Games opening ceremony for Paris 2024 is scheduled to take place on July 26th along the Seine River in the capital city of Paris. Initially, the organizers had planned to distribute 600,000 invitations, allowing an equivalent number of locals and tourists to directly watch the ceremony for free from both sides of the river.

However, on March 5th, Gérard Darmanin, the French Minister of the Interior, cited significant security challenges and announced that the official audience capacity for the opening ceremony would be reduced to 326,000 people, nearly halving the previous estimate. Among them, 104,000 ticket holders will be positioned along the low-lying riverbanks near the event venue, while the remaining 222,000 will watch for free from higher vantage points, according to the Independent.

In addition to the official audience, an estimated 200,000 more people are expected to watch the opening ceremony from nearby high-rise buildings with views of the Seine River, and about 50,000 people will watch from fan zones surrounding the area, bringing the total viewership to 576,000.

Darmanin also announced that free tickets will no longer be distributed freely to the public but will be reserved for invited guests.

“To manage the movement of crowds, we cannot invite everyone. Security is our top priority, given the recent terrorist threats. We will organize the opening ceremony for free, but it must be controlled,” Darmanin emphasized.

As a result, tourists will not be able to attend the opening ceremony for free as previously planned. Instead, invited attendees will be selected from Olympic event towns, local sports federations, and the organizing committee.

When passing through security checkpoints, they must present a QR code and undergo thorough checks.

It is expected that 10,500 athletes will march across the Seine River, Paris. Photo: @fabviews_cskillz.

The 2024 Olympics mark the first time in history that the opening ceremony will take place outdoors, rather than in a stadium. Approximately 10,500 athletes will parade through the heart of the French capital on boats along the Seine River, covering a 6km route.

The event is expected to be attended by around 160 heads of state. The French government will close all airports and impose a no-fly zone within a radius of 150km around Paris before, during, and after the 3.5-hour opening ceremony. Airports around Paris such as Charles de Gaulle, Orly, Bourget, and Beauvais will all temporarily cease operations during this time.

@Znews