Rio Olympics 2016: Opening Ceremony Date, Start Time, TV Channel and Live Streaming Info
NBC to Broadcast Opening Ceremony on One-hour Delay
As of press time, only 18 days are left for the much-awaited sporting event of the year: the Rio Olympics. This is the 31st Summer Olympiad featuring 306 events in 28 different sports. Host city Rio de Janeiro, the capital of Brazil, is busy preparing for the different sporting events as well as the grand opening ceremony, which will be held at the Maracanã Stadium in the heart of the city.
Opening Ceremony Date and Time
The opening ceremony of the Olympics is very much anticipated and will be held in Rio on Saturday, Aug. 5, at exactly 20:00 BRT (23:00 UTC) at the Maracanã Stadium. The opening ceremony will include the usual formal ceremonial opening such as welcoming messages, hoisting of the Olympic flag and the flag of the host city and the parade of athletes from different nations. Spectators will also be entertained with a string of musical and dance performances showcasing the culture of the host nation.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
International Television Networks to Cover Opening Ceremony
NBC has confirmed that it will broadcast the opening ceremony but on a one-hour delay. Rio de Janeiro is one hour ahead of the EST which means audience from the United States will be able to watch the ceremony at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on the East Coast and around 7:00 p.m. ET.
Opening Ceremony Live Streaming
NBC will also have an online live streaming service for the opening of the Rio Olympics via its official website. Aside from providing live streaming videos, NBC will also provide a medal count section as well as information on Team USA and a complete schedule of every sporting event.
Few Facts about the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics
Aside from the expected 207 nations that will participate in various sporting events, more than 10,500 athletes, including first-timers from Kosovo and South Sudan, are to take part in this year's Olympics. New Olympic sports were added such as rugby sevens and golf.
Thirty-three venues in Brazil will host different events, including Sao Paulo, Salvador, Brasilia, Manaus and Belo Horizonte. This is Rio's first time to host the Olympics, and it is also the first South American city to do so.
Rio de Janeiro won the bidding process to become the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics in 2009. Other top contenders were Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago.
