For the first time in history, the opening ceremony will be held outside the main stadium, watched by 320,000 spectators from specially built stands on the banks of the river, and about 200,000 from the balconies of nearby buildings.
A fleet of boats carried thousands of athletes and performers along the Seine River in a nearly four-hour parade that began at around 7.30pm local time (17.30 GMT). Dancers will perform on rooftops in what organisers described as a “complete show”.
The crowds in Paris erupted in cheers as football legend Zidane appeared in the opening video.
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