The opening ceremony will have a very different look this year (Picture: Getty)
The Parade of Nations for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony has been confirmed, but how does it work and when do Great Britain enter?
The Olympics got underway in the French capital on Wednesday and continued on Thursday ahead of tonight’s official opening ceremony on Friday, July 26, 2024.
The opening ceremony will have a very different look this year with the event taking place on the River Seine with a special six-kilometre parade, the first time in history it has not taken place inside a stadium.
Around 600,000 people are expected to in attendance and many are anticipating it to be the largest opening ceremony in Olympic history.
The order of countries for any opening ceremony at the Olympics is decided alphabetically – using the host nation’s official language – although there are a few exceptions, which Metro.co.uk has explained below.
At Tokyo 2020, nations entered according to their names in the Japanese language, using the written form of katakana. But what is the order for the Parade of Nations at Paris 2024 and how is it all decided? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s historic event on the River Seine.
Why is the Parade of Nations taking place on the River Seine and not in a stadium?
As many as 94 boats are expected to take part in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony river parade to carry an estimated amount of 6,800 athletes.
The Parade of Nations will follow a six-kilometre (3.7 mile) course of the Seine, from east to west.
Starting from Pont d’Austerlitz, it will come to a stop at the Pont d’Iéna before the opening ceremony’s finale at the Trocadéro.
The Paris river parade starts from from Pont d’Austerlitz (Picture: Metro)
As the athletes sail, a show will unfurl around them. There will be a number of performances – with musicians Céline Dion and Lady Gaga expected to appear.
Television broadcasts will begin at 6.30pm UK time, meaning you can watch the full spectacle from home.
Paris 2024 planners wanted to make the opening ceremony more accessible to the wider public, which is why they decided to hold this one on the River Seine.
Why is Greece always the first nation to enter?
The first country to enter the Parade of Nations is always Greece, due to their historical role in the origin of the Olympics.
The very first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to Olympia, in south west Greece, in 776 BC. Greece will be followed by the Refugee Olympic Team.
When do Great Britain enter at the Parade of Nations and who will carry the flag?
Great Britain are 72nd on the list for the Parade of Nations, sandwiched in-between Ghana (71st) and Grenada (73rd).
The two Team GB flagbearers for Paris 2024 are diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover.
‘I am extremely proud,’ Daley said. ‘Being able to be flagbearer at the opening ceremony is a dream come true.’
Glover added: I never thought I would be an Olympian! Being part of history as a flagbearer, I haven’t really got my head round it yet. Everyone I have told so far has cried, and I cried when I was told, which goes to show how much of an honour it is and how much it means.’
Which country is last in the Parade of Nations?
France, this year’s host nation, will enter last as the 205th country on the list, as per tradition.
The United States and Australia will come in as the 203rd and 204th nations, because they are hosting the next two Summer Olympics in 2028 and 2032.
Los Angeles is the host city for the next Games while the first Olympics of the 2030s will take place in Brisbane.
What is the the full order for the Parade of Nations at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony?
Greece
Refugee Olympic Team
Afghanistan
South Africa
Albania
Algeria
Germany
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbada
Saudi Arabia
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cayman Islands
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chile
China
Cyprus
Colombia
Comoros
Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Cook Islands
South Korea
Costa Rica
Ivory Coast
Croatia
Cuba
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Dominica
Egypt
El Salvador
United Arab Emirates
Ecuador
Eritrea
Spain
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Great Britain
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Equatorial Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Iceland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Laos
Lesotho
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Liechenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
North Macedonia
Madagascar
Malaysia
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Morocco
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mauritania
Mexico
Federated States of Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Norway
New Zealand
Oman
Uganda
Uzbekistan
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Netherlands
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Puerto Rico
Portugal
Qatar
North Korea
Romania
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
San Marino
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Solomon Islands
Samoa
American Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Somalia
South Sudan
Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Suriname
Syria
Tajikistan
Chinese Taipei
Tanzania
Chad
Czech Republuc
Thailand
East Timor
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Turkey
Tuvalu
Ukraine
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela
British Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Australia (2032 Olympics host)
United States (2028 Olympics host)
France (2024 Olympics host)
