Paris Paralympics 2024: How to watch, opening ceremony, what sports are included

Hannah Cockroft, aka 'Hurricane Hannah', is one of of Team GB's top medal hopes at the Paris Paralympics. It'll be her fourth games and she already has seven medals to her name. | Getty Images

First twinned with the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, the Paralympic Games have followed every summer and winter Olympic Games since.

Its history dates back further though, to 1948 when 19 British World War II veterans competed in sports. By 1960 the games attracted 400 athletes from 23 countries, and now it is one of the biggest sporting events on the planet, with 4,520 athletes from 163 countries appearing at the 2020 edition. 

This year, following its hugely successful Olympic Games, Paris will be hosting the event.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When are the 2024 Paris Paralympics?

The Paralympics take place over 10 days of competition from Wednesday, August 28, to Sunday, September 8.

When are the Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies?

The Opening Ceremony of the Paris Paralympics will be held on Wednesday, August 28, and will start at around 7pm UK time.

The Closing Ceremony will be on Sunday, September 8, again starting at around 7pm.

Can I watch the Paralympics on television in the UK?

Channel 4 will be broadcasting all the live action from the gamjes - including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and have more than 1,300 hours of coverage scheduled. Thry are promising to cover every event, with up to 18 different streams available online at any given time.

The coverage will be fronted by Clare Balding, who wil be joined by former wheelchair basketball star Ada Adepitan, Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmons and Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, who will become the first deaf person to host live sports coverage on television.

What sports will be played at the 2024 Paralympics?

There will be 22 different sports at the Paralympics, each of which will be broken down into subcategories meaning athletes will compete against those with similar impairments. It means there will be a total of 549 events over the 10 days of competition. The sports are as follows:

• Para archery
• Para athletics
• Para badminton
• Blind football
• Boccia
• Para canoe
• Para cycling
• Para equestrian
• Goalball
• Para judo
• Para powerlifting
• Para rowing
• Shooting Para sport
• Sitting volleyball
• Para swimming
• Para table tennis
• Para taekwondo
• Para triathlon
• Wheelchair basketball 
• Wheelchair fencing
• Wheelchair rugby
• Wheelchair tennis