All you need to know about the closing of Paris 2024 Olympics

As the final weekend of sport approaches, here is all the info on the last days of competition

We’ve been blessed with Paris 2024 so far. Not only have spectators had the chance to witness some jaw-droppingly good sport, but there have been plenty of heartwarming, tear-jerking and meme-worthy moments, too. 

Week one absolutely flew by, and though it’s hard to believe it, we’re already well into week two, with the final weekend of events and the closing ceremony running at us faster than Noah Lyles. It’s sad, but the Olympics can’t go on forever. So, here is everything you need to know about the competition’s run time and end date, and all the events we have to look forward to for the rest of Paris 2024.

Paris 2024 Olympic Dates
The 2024 Olympics officially run from the date of the opening ceremony on Friday July 26 until the closing ceremony on Sunday August 11. If you factor in the various events that kicked off on Wednesday July 24, that makes 19 days, or nearly three weeks of sport in total. 

Events still to come
Though we’re nearing the end of Paris 2024, there is still plenty of exciting sporting action to come. 

Some highlights over the next few days include the medal rounds for artistic swimming, the men’s and women’s medals finals in basketball, and the women’s individual breaking finals. In the athletics, we still have the women’s 1500m and javelin finals to look forward to, as well as the men’s 110m hurdles. The men’s marathon will take place on Saturday, and the women’s on Sunday. 

When is the closing ceremony?
The Paris 2024 closing ceremony takes place on August 11, 2024.

What time will the ceremony start?
Just a few hours after the last event of the Olympics – the women’s marathon – the ceremony begins, starting at 8pm.

Where is the Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony?
While the opening ceremony took place outdoors and not in a stadium (for the first time in the history of the Summer Games), the grand finale opts for a more traditional approach, taking place at the Stade de France. The stadium is also where the athletics, para-athletics, and rugby will be held during the Games.

What will happen at the closing ceremony?
As with the other ceremonies, the artistic direction of the event has been entrusted to stage director Thomas Jolly. The show will be called ‘Records’, and will feature over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists. The Paris 2024 official website also promises ‘world-renowned singers’, giant sets, costumes and spectacular lighting. Part of the show will also take place in the air, apparently. 

Then there will be the key elements present in every closing ceremony: the closing parade (where athletes will carry their nation’s flag), the medal ceremony (medals for the recently finished women’s marathon will probably be awarded here), speeches and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame.

Medals presented at the closing ceremony
A medal ceremony typically takes place at the closing ceremony for athletes who compete on the same day. There are 13 gold medal events happening on the final day of competition, including basketball, water polo, wrestling, volleyball, the modern pentathlon, cycling and the women’s marathon, so some of these could be presented at the ceremony. 

Performers confirmed so far
Hollywood icon Tom Cruise is tipped to be performing a stunt at the closing ceremony, but he’s the only big name confirmed so far. US presenter Jimmy Fallon and sports commentator Mike Tirico will host the event, and ‘world-renowned singers’ are promised. It’s tradition for the closing ceremony to hand over the next Olympic city (which is LA), and Cruise is set to perform a stunt that rivals even his most daring from the Mission Impossible movies. According to TMZ, we can expect to see him rappelling down from the top of the Stade de France and landing on the stadium field to pass over the flag.