The opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games took place on the evening of Friday 5 August 2016 in the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, starting at 20:00 BRT (23:00 UTC). As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings combine the formal ceremonial opening of this international sporting event (including welcoming speeches, hoisting of the flags and the parade of athletes) with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation's culture. There were around 78,000 spectators at the Maracanã.
The opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games
2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony (Part 2)
2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony (Part 3)
The opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games
