March 06, (THEWILL)- The French Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, while speaking at a Senate hearing, revealed the highly anticipated ticket numbers for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The grand Floating Parade along the River Seine will accommodate 326,000 spectators, including 104,000 paid ticket holders and 222,000 with free tickets.
This figure quadruples the capacity of a typical international stadium used for past Olympic opening ceremonies. Originally envisioning an audience of two million, the organisers scaled back their plans for the opening ceremony due to opposition from French security services, practicality, and fears of terrorist attacks.
The confirmed figure of 326,000 ticket holders represents a more reasonable number while still setting a record for opening ceremony attendance. In addition to the ticketed audience, the Interior Ministry estimates around 200,000 people will watch the open-air parade from buildings overlooking the Seine, with a further 50,000 in fan zones across Paris. These figures would bring the total spectators to between 500,000 and 600,000.
By hosting the opening ceremony on the River Seine, Paris aims to deliver an iconic and unprecedented Olympic experience, breaking from traditional stadium-based ceremonies. The 180-boat parade spanning 6km along the river promises to be a grand spectacle.
With the Olympics having been targeted by terrorist attacks in the past, French security forces are on high alert. Around one million people, including athletes, journalists, and local residents, are expected to undergo security screening ahead of the Games.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
