The Beginners Guide to the Summer Games 2024 Edition

The next edition is the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, which will officially begin with the opening ceremony on July 26, 2024 and end with the closing ceremony on August 11, 2024.

July 14 – 30, 2028 in Los Angeles, USA
July 23 – August 8, 2032 in Brisbane, Australia

The Summer Games take place quadrennially. The next Summer Games will occur in 2024, then 2028, and every four years following.

The Summer Games are typically 17 days long, beginning on a Friday and ending on a Sunday.

According to the Guinness World Records, the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta had the largest attendance. A total of 8.3 million tickets were sold for the event’s centennial edition.

That title goes to the USA, which has hosted the Summer Games four times:
1904 in St. Louis
1932 in Los Angeles
1984 in Los Angeles
1996 in Atlanta

In 2028, the USA will host the Summer Games for a fifth time in Los Angeles.

The first modern Games took place in Athens, Greece in 1896 and were established to promote international relations through sport. While it’s true that the Games have been around over a century, the Games back then were a lot different than they are now. The first Games saw just 241 competitors (all men, as women were not permitted to compete) from 14 countries competing in 9 different sports.

To date, there have been 29 editions of the Summer Games. The host cities include:
1896 – Athens, Greece
1900 – Paris, France
1904 – St. Louis, USA
1908 – London, England
1912 – Stockholm, Sweden
1916 – Not held due to WWI
1920 – Antwerp, Belgium
1924 – Paris, France
1928 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
1932 – Los Angeles, USA
1936 – Berlin, Germany
1940 – Not held due to WWII
1944 – Not held due to WWII
1948 – London, England
1952 – Helsinki, Finland
1956 – Melbourne, Australia
1960 – Rome, Italy
1964 – Tokyo, Japan
1968 – Mexico City, Mexico
1972 – Munich, Germany
1976 – Montreal, Canada
1980 – Moscow, Russia
1984 – Los Angeles, USA
1988 – Seoul, South Korea
1992 – Barcelona, Spain
1996 – Atlanta, USA
2000 – Sydney, Australia
2004 – Athens, Greece
2008 – Beijing, China
2012 – London, England
2016 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2020 – Tokyo, Japan (postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic)

The last Summer Games were held in Tokyo, Japan from July 23 to August 8, 2021. These Games were originally scheduled to be held in 2020 but they were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There will be 32 sports and a total of 329 events at the Summer Games in Paris. Some of the most popular include gymnastics, track and field, basketball, soccer (football), swimming and beach volleyball. You can find more information about the most popular events on our Summer Games schedule page.

Most people are familiar with the gold, silver and bronze medals athletes receive for finishing first, second, and third respectively. In many cases, that’s not all they’ll receive. Many countries’ Olympic committees also offer a cash prize to go along with the hardware.

Of course, there’s more to winning than the medal and possible prize money. Winners gain notoriety — especially within their home country — and in some cases, endorsements and sponsorship deals. Some athletes also receive gifts from local or national businesses.

The qualification process differs, depending on the event. Each sport is governed by an international sports federation that works with the International Olympic Committee. There are different methods determining who qualifies for the Summer Games. Some sports hold Olympic Trials. Some are based on performance over the period leading up to the Games. For team sports, the team is selected based on athletes’ performance. To encourage global participation, there are limits on the number of athletes that can participate for a country in each event, as well as quotas for certain regions.
The hosting country also receives automatic qualification in many events.

Other countries that were interested in hosting the 2024 Summer Games included Los Angeles, USA; Hamburg, Germany; Rome, Italy; and Budapest, Hungary. The latter three cities later withdrew their bids, leaving just Paris and Los Angeles in the running for 2024. A decision was made to award the 2024 and 2028 Games at the same time. Los Angeles decided to withdraw from contention for 2024 and bid for 2028. On September 13, 2017, it was announced that Paris would host the 2024 Summer Games, with Los Angeles hosting the following edition in 2028.

The Summer Games in 2024 will take place in 35 different venues. These are divided into two main zones: the first zone encapsulates the central Paris area, the second is in the surrounding Ile-de-France region. In addition to the Paris venues, there are nine venues elsewhere in France as well as the surfing venue in Tahiti.

France is certainly no stranger to the Summer and Winter Games. The 2024 Games will mark the third time Paris has hosted the Summer Games (the first two were in 1900 and 1924). France was also home to the Winter Games three times: 1924 in Chamonix, 1968 in Grenoble, and 1992 in Albertville.

The central Paris area is home to over 2.1 million people. Add in the surrounding Ile-de-France region and the number jumps to almost 12.3 million.

There will be a total of 32 sports at the 2024 Summer Games:
Aquatics
Archery
Athletics
Badminton
Basketball
Boxing
Breaking
Canoe
Cycling
Equestrian
Fencing
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Handball
Hockey
Judo
Modern Pentathlon
Rowing
Rugby
Sailing
Shooting
Skateboarding
Sport Climbing
Surfing
Table Tennis
Taekwondo
Tennis
Triathlon
Volleyball
Weightlifting
Wrestling

There is plenty to see in and around Paris other than the Summer Games. Visitors may want to check out quintessential landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre, admire the city’s wealth of marvelous architecture, do some memorable shopping in Le Marais or the Golden Triangle, or check out the panoramic city views from Sacré Coeur. An absolute must is to explore the many wonderful food options for which the city is known. Our pre-travel team can provide suggestions specific to your interests.

While many French citizens will speak some English, the majority are not be fluent in the language. That said, you are likely to find English speakers in hotels and other areas popular with travelers.

As one of the official languages of the Summer Games, you’re also likely to find English signage in and around the venues. Roadtrips’ guests will have access to bilingual local hosts who can assist with any language obstacles.

Paris’s summer weather is generally pleasantly mild, with average daytime highs in the high 70s Fahrenheit. Rain is a possibility so it would be a good idea to bring clothes that work well for rainy weather (ponchos, boots, layered clothing) and to plan to dress in layers so that you can be prepared, regardless of the temperature.

The merchandise at the Summer Games is always a big part of the event. Many want a souvenir of their once-in-a-lifetime experience or gifts for loved ones back at home. You’ll find almost every kind of souvenir and collectable possible, from pins to plush characters to clothing.

Some interesting facts about the 2024 Summer Games in Paris:

• This will be the third time Paris has hosted the Summer Games (it also hosted in 1900 and 1924).
• The Opening Ceremonies will be held along the Seine River, rather than inside a stadium.
• To pull off these Summer Games, approximately 45,000 volunteers will be needed.
• The surfing events at these Summer Games will take place almost 9,800 miles from Paris in Tahiti, French Polynesia
• The 2024 Summer Games will offer a mass participation marathon, which will allow 20,024 runners from the general public to run the same course as the elite athletes.
• The tennis events will be held at Roland Garros, home of the French Open.
• The beach volleyball events will be held in a temporary stadium on the Champ de Mars, overlooking the iconic Eiffel Tower.
• 2024 Summer Games by the numbers:
  • Number of days: 17
  • Athletes expected to compete: 10,500
  • Number of events: 329
  • Number of sports: 32, including 4 new sports (breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding, surfing)
  • Number of countries expected to take part: 206