Go Europe

A different approach: spread out the games for 2026 only in all or most Commonwealth (athletics and OC at the “capital” London and all other sports to the rest including smaller countries that have never hosted before and call it “New Frontiers 2026”. Each place will need to organise a sport championship level event which should be doable in 3 years.

I somehow do not think that the colonial US history will be part of the OC, not in 2028, not in California. On the other hand, the public opinion pendulum may have gone the other way in a few years, who knows…

The city that has an Olympic record hosted 3 times while never won a competitive bid vote!

I miss the times when we used to have daytime ceremonies! Best backgrounds are actual city backgrounds!

You are right, didn’t think if this, just had visions of the Eiffel Tower snapping to two on live tv!

I hope they have tested the force such a flag will exert on the tower! Especially if windy!

They could set another record and reuse the same cauldron that maybe the more environmental thing to do but I doubt they will go for the “green” choice and recycle.

So far there have been some surprises and commentators say that there maybe more as few international championships happened lately. So let’s see!

Not exactly by current standards, both the distance of the top seats to the pitch as well as the exposed seating to the elements are not ideal. Nevertheless, it was/is an iconic venue. Stronger memories from USA 94 were large venues always full of passionate spectators! Looking forward to United 2026!!

A quick question apologies if previously mentioned. When the combined piano and Kabuki performance took place was the camera supposed to be directed at the piano for most of the time or was that a mistake? We got only a few seconds to a minute or so from the the performer and most of the piano performance but this did not make so much sense?

It looks nice especially the bright red colour. However from the image it is unclear how far down the curved part the flame will travel. Hopefully they have sorted this out and tested it under different wind conditions to avoid accidents.

Overall, it felt weird. Some parts definitely gave me COVID PTSD and overall it was a somber ceremony. It was really an impossible task for them and IOC to combine the fact that this is meant to be a celebration of the world and the young athletes with the fact that so many deaths and lives have been changed for ever the last two years. Overall the balance was significantly skewed towards the memorial than to a celebration but I feel that the victories over the next days may change the atmosphere and the closing ceremony should be more optimistic and celebratory.

Also there are still some people secretly hoping for Qatar 2022 not to happen and therefore this thread to remain as it is...

10,000 Tennis centre according to international tennis federation site among others