India Breaking News has reported Paris 2024 opening ceremony audience, on the uncertainties surrounding the audience size for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony, which will be held outdoors for the first time. French Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin has indicated that the crowd could number in the hundreds of thousands. The ceremony is scheduled to commence at 8:24 pm on July 26, 2024, and is expected to last three hours, with the backdrop of notable Parisian landmarks such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower.

Paris 2024

During a press conference, Paris 2024 President Toni Estanguet confirmed these details. Furthermore, a security agreement was signed by the French government, the organizing committee, and the Paris mayor this past Tuesday. The event will feature a unique river procession involving 116 boats that will transport over 10,000 athletes along a six-kilometer route from Pont d’Austerlitz to Pont d’Iena.

Ticket sales are planned for about 100,000 spectators, with prices reaching up to €2,700 for prime riverside locations. Additionally, those wishing to attend the open-air event for free will need to register and reserve their tickets in advance. Although the exact number of spectators remains to be finalized, Darmanin expressed confidence that a large number of people will be able to witness the Olympics safely due to the pre-booked ticket system.

Originally, organizers anticipated accommodating around 600,000 spectators, but in February, Valerie Pécresse, head of public transport in the Île-de-France region, proposed reducing this estimate to fewer than 500,000 due to transportation capacity concerns. Subsequent discussions among political and police sources suggested an expected attendance of 400,000. However, on May 16, Sports Minister Amélie Udicastella hinted at a similar figure, though it has yet to be officially confirmed.

Regarding security for the massive event, Darmanin announced that 37,000 security personnel would be deployed, including between 2,000 to 3,000 private security guards specifically for the opening ceremony. Additionally, all police leaves will be canceled during the Olympic period, which runs from July 26 to August 11. Darmanin highlighted drones as the most significant security threat, noting that aerial defense technologies are in place and will be tested during the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France.

The Interior Minister emphasized the need for exceptional security measures for the ceremony, acknowledging the unique challenges posed by the outdoor setting. He stressed that this would be the first time an Olympic opening ceremony, or any major sporting event’s opening ceremony, has been conducted outside of a traditional stadium setting, accommodating hundreds of thousands of in-person spectators along with millions watching on television.

Ceremony audience

Darmanin also shared concerns about potential cyberattacks and the threat of drones, stating that detailed information about security measures would be released in the forthcoming months. The opening ceremony is set to begin with a significant river parade involving around 160 boats carrying athletes from more than 200 delegations.

Although admission to the upper embankment viewing areas will be free, spectators must still apply for a ticket. These areas will be equipped with security scans and are designated as counter-terrorism secure zones, with details on the security arrangements yet to be disclosed. Darmanin mentioned that a secure registration platform is being developed to manage the influx of attendees, describing it as a critical tool for regulating the flow of Parisians and visitors during the ceremony.