The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics took place on 26 July 2024 across Paris, beginning at 19:30 CEST (17:30 UTC). As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings included an artistic program showcasing the culture of the host country and city, the parade of athletes and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. The Games were formally opened by the president of France, Emmanuel Macron. The ceremony marked the 130th anniversary of the International Olympic Committee, the centenary of the 1924 Summer and Winter Olympics, and the 235th anniversary of the French Revolution.

Directed by Thomas Jolly, the opening ceremony was held outside of a stadium for the first time in modern Olympic history. Athletes were paraded by boat along the Seine to a temporary venue at the Jardins du Trocadéro, where the official protocols took place. The parade was interspersed with the artistic programme, which was divided into twelve acts reflecting the culture of France and its history, and took place at Paris landmarks such as Notre-Dame, Conciergerie, Musée d'Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower. The ceremony featured musical performances by French musicians such as Gojira, Aya Nakamura, Philippe Katerine, and Juliette Armanet, and international musicians Lady Gaga and Céline Dion.

The ceremony received mixed reviews, with many praising its artistic segments, musical performances, and grand finale, but criticizing the length of the ceremony and other production issues brought about by the format. The ceremony's use of camp elements received a mixed reception. A segment said to be celebrating diversity, and featuring drag, was criticized by Christian and conservative organizations and figures for allegedly referencing The Last Supper, which some critics interpreted as mocking Christianity, though Jolly denied that this was the intent.

On the same day of the opening ceremony, a series of arson attacks damaged the lines of the French railway system.

In December 2024, the Olympic Channel released a full length documentary about the creation and development of the opening ceremony, called "La Grande Seine".

In February 2025, the presentation of "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)" by Gojira, Marina Viotti and Victor Le Masne at the opening ceremony received the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.