Overview

• French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that the number of spectators for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony has been halved to around 300,000 due to security and organizational challenges.
• The opening ceremony, scheduled for July 26, will be the first to be held outside a traditional stadium setting, taking place along a 6-kilometer route on the River Seine.
• The revised plan allows for 100,000 paying spectators with a waterside view, and more than 220,000 people with free tickets on the river’s upper embankments.
• Previously, Darmanin had estimated that up to 600,000 spectators would be able to attend the ceremony.
• The decision comes amid France's high alert for terror attacks and the logistical challenges of managing such large crowds in an open-air setting.