How to Watch the 2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony Without Cable

The Spool Staff
September 7th, 2024

Paris is hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics, and their opening ceremony premieres on schedule for Friday, July 26.

After the difficulties of the previous Summer Olympics, Paris plans to break new ground with their ceremony. For the first time in history, the ceremony is now being held in the Seine instead of the stadium, open for free to the viewing public, with a fleet of boats replacing the traditional march.

Where to watch the 2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony

The 2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony premieres live on NBC at 1:30 PM ET, Friday, July 26, with a replay at primetime, 7:30 PM ET. The ceremony ends at 5:15 PM ET.

Peacock will also be streaming every event in the 2024 Summer Olympics, including both opening and closing ceremonies.

2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBC

As the oldest of the traditional cable Big Three, there’s no need to introduce NBC. The company holds the American rights to broadcast the Olympics since 1988.

You can watch the opening ceremony on NBC without cable on one of these cord-cutting services:

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is a streaming service that offers everything from live TV, local channels, on-demand films, sports packages, and even premium cable networks like HBO and Starz for an additional fee. Its plans, which start at $70/month, are on the pricier side of live TV, but that’s because it offers unlimited DVR and streams on top of at least 75 channels, depending on the plan you pick.

How much does DirecTV Stream cost?

$79.99/month

Does DirecTV Stream have a Free Trial?

5 days

Which channels are on DirecTV Stream?

A&E, AMC, Animal Planet, AXS TV, Baby First TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, Bounce, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CBS, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN En Español, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, E!, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, Galavision, Gem Shopping Network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, HLN, HSN, Investigation Discovery, ION, Lifetime, MeTV, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, NBC, NFL Network, One America News, Ovation, Oxygen, Paramount Network, PBS, QVC, QVC2, ReelzChannel, REVOLT, RFD-TV, RSNs, Starz, Sundance TV, SYFY, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, Telemundo, The CW, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, TV Land, Univision, Univision East, USA, VH1, Vice, WE tv

Sling TV

Slings TV is a relatively affordable and wide-ranging live TV streaming service that has three main plans: the family-friendly Sling Orange, the sports-and-news-focused Sling Blue, and the comprehensive Sling Orange + Blue. The latter has a total of 46 channels, including IFC, TNT, and MGM, plus cloud DVR and simultaneous streams. You can also add multiple add-ons, like the Sports Extra, the News Extra, and the International Extra, to enhance your base package.

How much does Sling TV cost?

$40/month

Which channels are on Sling TV?

A&E, ABC, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Bounce, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Charge!, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, E!, EPIX Drive-In, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPN3, FETV, Food Network, FOX, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, Fuse, FX, HGTV, History, HLN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Laff, Lifetime, Local Now, MotorTrend, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NFL Network, Nick Jr., QVC, SYFY, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, USA, Vice, WE tv

Hulu with Live TV

Combining the best of streaming and cable, Hulu with Live TV pairs Hulu’s original programming like Only Murders in the Building, imports like Normal People, and licensed ABC shows like Modern Family with live TV channels like CNN, CBS, and TCM to give you an all-in-one TV package. The plans start at $77/month (with ads), but for an additional fee, you can upgrade to a bundle that removes commercials and throws in Disney+ and ESPN+ to the mix.

How much does Hulu with Live TV cost?

$76.99/month

Does Hulu with Live TV have a Free Trial?

3 days

Which channels are on Hulu with Live TV?

A&E, ABC, ABC Localish, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, BET, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Discovery en Español, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN College Extra, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, HLN, Investigation Discovery, Justice Central TV, Lifetime, LMN, Localish, Military History Channel, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, NASA, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBC, NBC News Now, NBCLX, NewsNation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, QVC, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, SYFY, TBS, TCM, Telemundo, The CW, The Grio, The Weather Channel, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, TV Land, Universal Kids, USA, VH1, Vice

Fubo

Designed for the ultimate sports fan, Fubo is an on-demand and live TV service that streams games from multiple leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and the Premier League. You can get up to 215 live channels on your lineup, which includes coverage on RSNs and local stations, though you might have to pay extra if you want premium entertainment channels like Starz and Showtime.

How much does Fubo cost?

$79.99/month

Does Fubo have a Free Trial?

7 days

Which channels are on Fubo?

A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, AccuWeather, Animal Planet, Bein Sports, Bein Sports 4, Bein sports 5, Bein Sports 6, Bein Sports 7, Bein Sports 8, beIN Sports en Español, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CMT, CNBC, Comedy Central, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, Estrella TV, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, fubo Sports Network, FX, FXX, FYI, Galavision, GetTV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, IFC, INSP, Investigation Discovery, ION, Ion Mystery, Local Now, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, National Geographic, NBC, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Olympic Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, RSNs, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SYFY, Tastemade, TBD, Telemundo, The CW, The Weather Channel, TLC, Travel Channel, TUDN, TUDNxtra1, TUDNxtra10, TUDNxtra11, TUDNxtra2, TUDNxtra3, TUDNxtra4, TUDNxtra5, TUDNxtra6, TUDNxtra7, TUDNxtra8, TUDNxtra9, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, USA, VH1, Vice, WE tv, WGN America

YouTube TV

Often dubbed as the best cordless replacement to cable, YouTube TV is a live TV streaming platform that gives you access to more than 100 channels, sporting events, local channels, unlimited DVR space, and up to three simultaneous streams. But what really gives YouTube TV its edge is customization; depending on your needs, you can easily add premium channels like HBO, sports channels like NFL Redzone, and Spanish channels like Unimas to your preferred lineup.

How much does YouTube TV cost?

$72.99/month

Does YouTube TV have a Free Trial?

7 days

Which channels are on YouTube TV?

ABC, ABC News, ACCN, Adult Swim, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Docurama, Dove Channel, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, HLN, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, Justice Central TV, LAFC Channel, Law & Crime, Live Now, Local Now, Localish, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV2, My TV, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBC Universo, NBCLX, NBCSN, NECN, NewsNation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Orlando City Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, PBS, PBS Kids, PBS local channels, PC Mag, Pop, QVC, Recipe.TV, Scripps News, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SNY, Start TV, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBS, TCM, Teen Nick, TeleHit, Telemundo, The CW, The Great Courses, The Weather Channel, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, Tru TV, TV Land, TYT, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Univision, Univision local channels, USA, VH1, WE tv

Fubo Elite

If you're a sports fan looking to cover all your bases, Fubo Elite has more than 256 channels and 130 live events that cover sports of all kinds, from basketball to cricket to golf. Channels include ESPN, CBS Sports Network, FS1 and FS2, beIN Sports, NFL Network, all the BIG Networks, and more. Depending on where you live, you should also have all the major local networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX. Even though Fubo Elite is a notch above the basic tier, with unlimited DVR and simultaneous screens, it still notably does not have Turner channels like CNN, TNT, and TBS.

How much does Fubo Elite cost?

$89.99/month

Does Fubo Elite have a Free Trial?

7 days

Which channels are on Fubo Elite?

A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, AccuWeather, Bein Sports, Bein Sports 4, Bein sports 5, Bein Sports 6, Bein Sports 7, Bein Sports 8, beIN Sports en Español, Big Ten Network, Bravo, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CMT, CNBC, Comedy Central, Comet, Cozi TV, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Estrella TV, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, fubo Sports Network, FX, FXX, FYI, Galavision, GetTV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Family, Hallmark Mystery, History, IFC, Ion Mystery, Local Now, MASN, MSNBC, MTV, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Olympic Channel, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, RSNs, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SYFY, Tastemade, Telemundo, Telemundo local channels, The CW, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, TUDN, TUDNxtra1, TUDNxtra10, TUDNxtra11, TUDNxtra2, TUDNxtra3, TUDNxtra4, TUDNxtra5, TUDNxtra6, TUDNxtra7, TUDNxtra8, TUDNxtra9, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, Univision local channels, USA, VH1, Vice, WE tv, WGN America, Willow TV, YES Network

2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony on Peacock

Being NBC’s streaming service, Peacock is the best streaming site for Olympics replays. Here is a refresher and a link to subscribe:

Peacock

Apart from NBC sitcoms, Bravo reality shows, live news channels, and sports events like Sunday Night Football and Premier League matches, Peacock is also the streaming home to originals like Girls5Eva, Poker Face, and Bel-Air. A subscription costs $8/month, but if you want to opt out of ads and tune into your local NBC channel on top of all this, then you can choose their Premium Plus plan, which costs $14/month.

How much does Peacock cost?

$7.99/month

Which channels are on Peacock?

80’s Mixtape, American Greed, Caso Cerrado, CNBC Ka-Ching, CNBC Make It, D&D Live, Fail Army, Fallon Tonight, Food52, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Hell’s Kitchen, In It To Win It, Kiss Me Deadly, Laugh Here, NatureVision TV, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBC Sports on Peacock, Office Shorts, Olympic Channel, Out of This World, Peacock Reality, People Are Awesome, ReelzChannel, Saved by the Bell, Seth Meyers Now, Sky News, SNL Vault, Telemundo, The Choice, The Pet Collective, The Rotten Tomatoes Channel, TODAY All Day, True Crime, Unsolved Mysteries, USGA, Weather Spy, WWE Network

What’s new with the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony?

Instead of a march, the world’s athletes depart on a fleet of boats from the Austerlitz bridge by Jardin des Plantes de Paris to pass through the Seine through center of the city and arrive by the Trocadéro, where the finale will take place.

The opening ceremony still includes the iconic Olympic Torch Relay, where the Olympic flame is lit.

The U.S. Olympic Trials are available to watch on Peacock

As Peacock launched just right in time with the 2020 Olympics, Peacock has become the American streaming home of the Olympics. The U.S. Trials are also available on the NBC Olympics site.

Peacock

Apart from NBC sitcoms, Bravo reality shows, live news channels, and sports events like Sunday Night Football and Premier League matches, Peacock is also the streaming home to originals like Girls5Eva, Poker Face, and Bel-Air. A subscription costs $8/month, but if you want to opt out of ads and tune into your local NBC channel on top of all this, then you can choose their Premium Plus plan, which costs $14/month.

How much does Peacock cost?

$7.99/month

Which channels are on Peacock?

80’s Mixtape, American Greed, Caso Cerrado, CNBC Ka-Ching, CNBC Make It, D&D Live, Fail Army, Fallon Tonight, Food52, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Hell’s Kitchen, In It To Win It, Kiss Me Deadly, Laugh Here, NatureVision TV, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBC Sports on Peacock, Office Shorts, Olympic Channel, Out of This World, Peacock Reality, People Are Awesome, ReelzChannel, Saved by the Bell, Seth Meyers Now, Sky News, SNL Vault, Telemundo, The Choice, The Pet Collective, The Rotten Tomatoes Channel, TODAY All Day, True Crime, Unsolved Mysteries, USGA, Weather Spy, WWE Network