Britons top overseas demand for Paris 2024 tickets

On January 31, 2024, 9:33 PM

British fans have already bought half a million tickets for this summer’s Olympics – more than any country other than France, say Paris 2024 organisers.

“I don’t know if it’s the expectation of a great Team GB performance, but [we’re] very excited to welcome you,” Paris 2024 chief executive Ettiene Thobois told BBC Sport.

“London 2012 is still in the memories of everyone,” Thobois added.

“It was an inspiring Games for us, too.”

Thobois also vowed “unprecedented” security measures amid concerns over safety.

“Definitely we are on high alert,” he said. “Hosting the Olympics and Paralympics raises the bar, but we’ll be ready for the challenge.”

Ticket prices

Last month World Athletics president, Lord Sebastian Coe – who was chair of the London 2012 organising committee – said he was concerned, external ticket prices for Paris 2024 may be too high, pointing out that some were the most expensive ever seen at an Olympics, and that full stadiums were essential.

More than one million tickets for the football tournament remain unsold, but Thobois defended the hosts’ approach.

“We’ve already sold 90% of the tickets so we’re comfortable in the fact that we actually priced it right,” he said.

“We’ve had more than one million tickets at 24 euros. More than four million tickets are 50 euros or less.

“So, it’s been a fantastic success and we’re more or less selling out. Athletics, which is dear to Lord Coe, will be a full stadium.”

Security challenges

France raised its security threat level in October when a teacher was killed in a knife attack in a school in Arras. Last month, a German man died and two others were injured in a knife and hammer attack on a street in central Paris.

European security officials have warned of a growing risk of attacks by Islamist militants amid the Israel-Gaza war.

“We are confident. We do everything that is in our power to make sure that these games can be can be delivered in a safe environment,” Thobois said.

“Every week there are thousands, hundreds of thousands of people visiting the city. We had the Rugby World Cup where we were able to demonstrate that things could be run smoothly.

“We are working hand in hand with the national authorities to make sure that we don’t leave any stone unturned.

“Everything has been planned. There will be 45,000 public forces mobilised during the Games to make sure that everybody has got a fantastic celebration.”

Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron said the authorities were prepared to move the opening ceremony – the first to be staged outside of a stadium – from the River Seine to another location if it presented too great a security challenge.

“We want the Games to be wide open,” said Thobois. “We want as many people as possible to experience the excitement, and that opening ceremony in the centre of the city is a key testament to that.

“We worked a full year on the feasibility of this, to make sure that we felt comfortable that we could deliver that ceremony in a completely safe environment.

“Every building on the six-kilometre journey that the athletes are going to follow on the Seine River has been scrutinised and we’re very confident that we can we can do this in a secure environment.”

Protests and strikes

Many roads in and out of Paris remain blocked by protesting farmers and their tractors, in what they have described as a “siege” of the French capital aiming to stop food deliveries to supermarkets in protests over falling incomes, rising bureaucracy and competition from imports.

There have also been concerns over such disruption during the Games and the threat of strikes by police officers and transport workers, with talks between the government and public sector unions over pay and conditions continuing.

“The French people are known for their vibrant and dynamic democracy,” said Thobois.

“But we’re quite confident in relation to the Games. We’ve been working with the unions from day one. They have nothing particularly against the Games, and we’re confident that the Games as such will not be targeted.

“I think actually people are proud to welcome the world and show France at its best during these games and really all looking forward to it.”