When do 2024 Paralympics start? What to know for Paris Games

The torch has arrived in Paris, the last preparations for the opening ceremony are being finalized and the 2024 Paris Paralympics are about set to begin.
The games will take place in Paris, just a little past two weeks since the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This marks the first time that a Summer Paralympic Games is being held in France. The games will take place at many of the same venues that saw Olympic action, while others are being converted for the Paralympics. For example, the Eiffel Tower Stadium venue that held beach volleyball competitions at the Olympics has now been converted into a venue that will hold the blind football competition for the Paralympics.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games:
The 2024 Paris Paralympics are set to begin Wednesday, August 28 with the opening ceremony, and will run through Sunday, September 8.
2024 Paris Olympics: Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the biggest names and stories of the Games.
The opening ceremony will take place along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris and will conclude at the Place de la Concorde. Paralympic athletes will parade along the route. It will mark the first time in Paralympics history that the opening ceremony will take place outside of a stadium.
The games will feature around 4,400 athletes from around the world. They will compete in 549 medal events across 22 different sports. Many of the events will be held at the same venues that hosted the athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics. For example, wheelchair basketball will take place at the Bercy Arena, the site of the men’s and women’s basketball competition during the Paris Olympics.
The medals are also similar to the ones awarded at the 2024 Paris Olympics, complete with a piece of original iron from the Eiffel Tower. They have also been designed to be distinguished by touch and include engravings and braille.
These will mark the first Summer Paralympic Games held in France, and the event has already led to positive changes in accessibility; the city of Paris has made tweaks to make overground transportation more accessible.
The 2024 Paris Paralympics will be broadcast across the NBC family of networks, with many events taking place on USA Network and CNBC.
The Paralympics can also be streamed on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, the official Paralympic YouTube channel and the International Paralympic Committee website.
Here is the TV schedule for Thursday’s events at the Paralympics (subject to change). See the full TV schedule and the full schedule of events.
USA NETWORK:
5 a.m.-6:05 a.m.: Swimming – Qualifying Heats (LIVE)
6:15 a.m.-7:30 a.m.: Men’s Wheelchair Basketball – Great Britain vs. Germany
7:30 a.m.-9:15 a.m.: Wheelchair Rugby – United States vs. Canada (LIVE)
9:15 a.m.-10 a.m.: Cycling – Track Qualifying
10 a.m.-11:45 a.m.: Men’s Wheelchair Basketball – United States vs. Spain (LIVE)
11:45 a.m.-2:50 p.m.: Swimming – Finals (LIVE)
3 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: Badminton – Qualifying Round
3:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m.: Wheelchair Rugby – Qualifying Round*
4:15 p.m.-5 p.m.: Best of Day 1
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