When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
UPDATE: The 2024 Opening Ceremony has concluded, but most of the options we’ve outlined below allow people to stream the ceremony on-demand. The original article follows:
The 2024 Paris Olympics officially kick off today, and the Seine-set Opening Ceremony is not to be missed. We’ve compiled everything you need to know about how to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony, including free streaming options and services that will show all Olympic events.
The Opening Ceremony is one of the most iconic Olympic traditions. The ceremony features speeches, the host country’s national anthem, and the lighting of the Olympic flame, among several other traditions, including the Parade of Nations, wherein athletes from more than 200 participating countries will make an appearance. LeBron James of the US men’s basketball team and Coco Gauff of the US women’s tennis team will serve as flagbearers for the United States.
The ceremony typically lasts several hours (hence why some Olympians who are competing early on Saturday decide to skip it). In an unusual move, instead of taking place in an arena, the Opening Ceremony will be held on the River Seine, which is situated alongside the Eiffel Tower and other famous Parisian landmarks. Athletes will float down the river on boats for a buoyant take on the Parade of Nations.
Check out our official Olympic streaming guide for info on how to watch the events tomorrow, and see below to tune into sports that have already started.
- See also: Where to watch Olympic football | Where to watch Olympic rugby | Where to watch Olympic handball
How to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony in the US
The Olympics Opening Ceremony will air live at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 25 for US viewers. Viewers can tune in through NBC or Peacock. The ceremony will also be rebroadcast on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET, and Peacock should have it on-demand in case you miss it the first time. Peacock is the best US streaming option if you want to see absolutely every part of the Olympics, including events that are on at the same time. Subscriptions start at $7.99 a month.
Peacock is a convenient streaming source for hit NBC TV shows, Universal movies, and select sports like Sunday Night Football. Prices start at $8 a month, with additional discounts on annual plans.
You can also catch the entire ceremony and the most popular Olympic events on NBC. If you don’t have cable or a good antenna, you can still stream NBC through live TV packages like Sling TV and Fubo.
For Sling, which comes with a little over 40 channels, you’ll need to subscribe to Sling Blue to access local channels. This coverage is regionally selective, so you should look up your zip code before subscribing to ensure that you can actually get the channels you want. Subscriptions start at $40 a month, with an introductory offer that gives new users $25 off their first month.
For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you’re looking for. It’s more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members get their first month for $25 off.
Fubo is the more expensive option here, but NBC coverage is more widespread. The service includes access to more than 180 channels. Subscriptions cost $79.99 monthly and come with a one-week free trial for new customers.
Fubo is the streaming service for sports fans. Its huge library of channels includes regional and international sports leagues, setting it apart from the competition. You can also tack on additional programming to your plan, but it’ll cost you extra.
How to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony in the UK
The Olympics Opening Ceremony will air on BBC One, which means that British viewers will be able to live stream the ceremony for free through BBC iPlayer. This option only requires free account creation to use and will cover you for some major events, but for comprehensive Olympic coverage, you’ll need to subscribe to Eurosport through Discovery+, where plans start at £3.99 a month.
How to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony in Australia
The Olympics Opening Ceremony will live stream for free on 9Now in Australia. Users just need to create an account login to watch if they don’t already have one. This is the free Australian streaming home of the Olympics, so it will be a valuable option for many events during the two-and-a-half weeks of competition.
How to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony in France
France.TV is the French home of the Olympics Opening Ceremony. This free option only requires account creation to use and will carry the entire Olympic games.
How to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony from anywhere
Olympic fans who will be away during the Opening Ceremony don’t need to worry; they can still access the above streaming options using a VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs let people change the virtual location of their devices, allowing them to keep up with their usual websites from anywhere in the world. They’re popular picks for those hoping to upgrade their online privacy and use their apps while traveling.
ExpressVPN is our go-to suggestion. It’s a user-friendly VPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s no sweat if you find it’s not what you’re looking for. More details can be found in our ExpressVPN review, and we’ve outlined how to use a VPN below.
With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.
How to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don’t already have one.
- Install it on the device you’re using to watch the event.
- Turn it on and set it to the location of your streaming service.
- Go to 9Now (Australia), France.TV (France) or BBC iPlayer (UK) and create a login if necessary.
- Enjoy the Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
Lillian Brown
Associate Editor of Streaming
Lillian Brown is the Associate Editor of Streaming for Business Insider. She joined the company in early 2024 as a Fellow before joining us full-time a few months later. She focuses on ‘how to watch’ guides for streaming services and live events for the Reviews team. She also covers VPN usage.Her entertainment writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including Vulture, TV Guide, Time, Esquire, and The Daily Beast, among others. She specializes in writing about film and television. Previously, she worked in the Living/Arts department of The Boston Globe.When not teaching people how to stream the best live sports and TV shows, Lillian can be found long-distance running, watching the latest season of For All Mankind, or playing through The Last of Us Part II on her PS4 yet again.
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.