The full schedule for the first day of Paris 2024 starts at 15:00 with the men’s football matches between Argentina and Morocco, and between Uzbekistan and Spain.
The 2024 Olympics begin today with the first football and rugby sevens matches, two days before the official ceremony scheduled for Friday.
The anticipation is huge as Paris 2024 has already set a record in sales 8.6 million tickets, the largest number ever recorded.
The opening events include two football matches at 15:00: Argentina vs Morocco in Saint-Étienne for Group B, and Uzbekistan vs Spain in Paris for Group C.
Australia-Samoa will open the rugby sevens competition in Paris half an hour later, at 3:30 p.m.
Here is the full schedule for Wednesday:
Football, group stage
- Argentina – Morocco (15:00 CET, Saint-Étienne)
- Uzbekistan-Spain (15:00, Paris)
- Guinea – New Zealand (17:00, Nice)
- Egypt – Dominican Republic (17:00, Nantes)
- Iraq-Ukraine (19:00, Lyon)
- Japan-Paraguay (19:00, Bordeaux)
- France-United States (21:00, Marseille)
- Mali-Israel (21:00, Paris)
Rugby 7s, men’s pool
- Australia-Samoa (15:30 CET, Paris)
- Argentina-Kenya (4:00 p.m., Paris)
- France-USA (4:30 p.m., Paris)
- Fiji-Uruguay (17:00, Paris)
- Ireland-South Africa (17:30, Paris)
- New Zealand-Japan (18:00, Paris)
- Australia-Kenya (19:00, Paris)
- Argentina-Samoa (7:30 p.m., Paris)
- France-Uruguay (20:00, Paris)
- Fiji – United States (20:30, Paris)
Football: Dominican Republic makes Olympic debut against Egypt
Dominican Republic fans will not have the opportunity to see the powerful team of baseball of the country at the Paris Olympics, because this sport was not selected for the 2024 Games.
But the Dominican men’s soccer team will replace her.
The beginnings of the Caribbean nation are supported by a team made up of several players who have played in European leagues.
Most of them will represent their country for the first time in France.
“I have the chance to represent my roots, and it’s what’s in my blood,” said Oscar Ureña, born in Spain to Dominican parents.
“They are very happy and proud of me.”
The Dominican team, known as “Sedofútbol,” signed Spaniard Ibai Gomez last February. Gomez, who played for nine professional teams, including Athletic Bilbao and Alaves, retired in November 2022 and began his coaching career with Santutxu in Spain a year ago.
“The truth is that I was surprised by this call. I played for 14 years, but my coaching career is just beginning,” Gomez said.
ADVERTISEMENTRugby 7s: Fiji in search of a third consecutive gold medal
France will begin their rugby sevens medal campaign by taking on the United States in their first match of Pool B.
The Stade de France will be packed and most eyes will be on star Antoine Dupont when the French kick off the third match of a three-day men’s tournament.
It will be the same on day two, when the French meet double Olympic champions Fiji, the most formidable force in the condensed format of rugby sevens.
The Americans will face France and Fiji on Wednesday, giving them a unique glimpse of the two title favorites.
ADVERTISEMENT“When we get in that environment, other than maybe 14 players, give or take 50 friends and family who come out to support us, the staff and people watching on TV, we know it’s us against 69,000 people,” U.S. captain Kevon Williams said.
“We agree with that, we prepared for that, we focused and said to ourselves: ‘It’s just us’. All we will see is the French jersey, so we will be ready.”
France hosted the Rugby World Cup last year and the national team failed to win the title. She was a three-time finalist in the biggest sporting competition.
With the arrival of the undisputed star of the 15-a-side game, France reached their peak in the rugby sevens format in 2024. Dupont helped the French qualify for the World Series for the first time in 19 years, then capped it all off with victory in the World Series final in Madrid.
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