PARIS: The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, 2024, will take place on the River Seine, organizers announced on Monday (Tuesday in Manila), breaking the long-held Summer Games tradition of a stadium procession of athletes and officials.

More than 160 boats filled with athletes and officials from more than 200 countries will sail almost 6km (4 miles) between the Pont d'Austerlitz and Pont d'Iena bridges in central Paris, with the closing ceremony scheduled to be held at the Trocadero, an expanse of gardens and fountains which overlooks the Eiffel Tower.