The 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo begin. Due to the time difference, the events will take place mainly at night for France. If this does not alarm you, the competition can be followed online, via TV channels.
They were due to take place in 2020. And then the coronavirus pandemic went through there. Ultimately, it will be 2021, a year later, when Japan hosts the Summer Olympics – the XXXII Olympiad of the modern era. Tokyo therefore held firm, despite unfavorable health conditions linked to an epidemic rebound and positive cases detected within the Olympic village itself.
The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games will be held on July 23. For those who intend to follow the different events, they will have to go to bed late or get up early: indeed, with a seven-hour time difference with Tokyo, the competition will be difficult to follow from the metropolis. If this challenge does not scare you, know that the sports disciplines will be broadcast in France, on France Télévisions or Eurosport.
You can see the event directly on your TV, but also through a host of websites and applications.
Tokyo Olympics: who broadcasts what?
Overall, the involvement of France Télévisions in broadcasting the Olympic Games means that the competition will be very widely accessible.
See the Olympics with France Télévisions
As the spearhead of public broadcasting, France Télévisions will ensure the free and full broadcast of the 2021 Olympics, starting with the opening ceremony, which will be offered on France 2, but also the closing ceremony, on the 8th August. For this, the group will mobilize all of its broadcasting channels, but also its platforms, such as FranceTV.
Concretely, France Télévisions plans a continuous broadcast on France 2, France 3 and France 4, for a total of 20 hours per day. In particular, the group plans to broadcast a direct from midnight to 4 pm every day on France 2 and France 3. The France 4 channel will be mobilized during the day for competitions concerning team sports. In addition to the direct, on-set magazines are planned.
See the Olympics with France.TV
On the France.TV platform, a special page dedicated to the Olympic Games has been set up. It gives access to the complete program (with timetables and channel number), to options for sorting by discipline (athletics, rowing, badminton, etc.), but also to the medal table, results and news. You must have an account to go to France.TV. Registration is free.
See the Olympics with Salto
In addition to its catch-up TV and video-on-demand site, Salto, the subscription-based video-on-demand service, will also be an additional broadcast channel to consider. The site created jointly by France Télévisions, TF1 and M6 indeed offers live, in addition to seeing films and series. It takes 6.99 euros per month for the subscription.
See the Olympics with Molotov
Molotov is a computer program to be installed on the computer, or a connected television. The service exists in a free version and in a premium version. It is possible to watch TV on your PC (or mobile app) with this application, at least for direct broadcasts for France 2, France 3 and France 4. Replay content may be offered for a few days, if you didn’t see them at the right time.
See the Olympics with Canal +
The Olympic Games will also be visible on Canal +. Its various subscriptions give access to public service channels. In addition, some packs include Eurosport channels (the different channels and SVOD). This is the case with the Sport + pack and the Integral + formula. Prices vary from 40.99 to 99.9 euros per month for a first subscription with a one-year commitment, or from 50.99 to 109.9 euros per month.
See the Olympics with Eurosport
For its part, Eurosport has recovered the paying rights to broadcast all the events. Initially, it was to be Canal +, but the encrypted channel preferred to cede the rights in 2019 to the subsidiary of the American audiovisual group Discovery, to free up new money. In fact, it is she who will provide a live broadcast of all the events on its channels (Eurosport 1, Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Player, among others).
Eurosport Player is the channel’s subscription video-on-demand service. Three offers are available, with a monthly subscription (9.99 euros per month), an annual package (which amounts to 6.99 euros per month) and an annual pass at 34.99 euros per year. As for the Eurosport 1 and 2 channels, they are accessible via the operators’ boxes, but also Canal +, via payment or directly in certain formulas.
It should be noted that ephemeral channels will be launched by Eurosport. In all, there will be seven new thematic channels, numbered from Eurosport 3 to Eurosport 9.
- Eurosport 1 will focus on international headliners, and reruns of highlights;
- Eurosport 2 will target top French athletes, plus reruns as well;
- Eurosport 3 will focus on racket sports (tennis, badminton and table tennis) and golf;
- Eurosport 4 will be dedicated to artistic sports (diving, gymnastics, trampoline, artistic swimming);
- Eurosport 5 will be entitled to several team sports (football, field hockey, rugby sevens, baseball / softball);
- Eurosport 6 will be limited to basketball;
- Eurosport 7 will be reserved for combat sports (judo, boxing, karate, wrestling, taekwondo);
- Eurosport 8 will focus on handball;
- Eurosport 9 will offer volleyball.
The Olympics in 4K
It is possible to enjoy the Olympic Games in ultra high definition (4K), as long as certain prerequisites are met: above all, you need a compatible television (What are the best 4K UHD televisions to buy in 2021?) And Internet speed. high enough to be able to send enough stream to your home (so, in general, it is better to have a fiber optic offer).
It is also important not to get the wrong channel: it appears that France Télévisions will not broadcast the content in 4K especially, but Eurosport will, via a dedicated channel: it is mentioned more than 200 hours of live, including the ceremonies of opening and closing. Canal + has announced that it will also broadcast 4K on the 4K event channel (channel 62) via compatible devices.
Compatible materials are
- The Canal + 4K Ultra UHD decoder (reception via satellite or Internet);
- Orange’s fiber UHD TV decoder;
- Bouygues Télécom BBOX 4K decoders via fiber;
- Apple TV 4K;
- The NVIDIA Shield box;
- SAMSUNG, LG and SONY connected TVs compatible with the Internet;
- Amazon Fire TV 4K.
List of events and transition days
- Ceremonies on July 23 and August 8;
- Athletics from July 30 to August 8;
- Rowing from July 24 to 30;
- Badminton from July 24 to August 2;
- Basketball from July 25 to August 8;
- 3X3 basketball from July 24 to 28;
- BMX from July 29 to August 1;
- Boxing from July 24 to August 8;
- Canoe-Kayak slalom from July 25 to 30;
- Canoe-Kayak online from August 2 to 7;
- Cycling / road on July 24, 25 and 28;
- Cycling / track from August 2 to 8;
- Horseback riding from July 27 to August 7;
- Climbing from August 3 to 6;
- Fencing from July 24 to August 1;
- Football from July 22 to August 7;
- Gymnastics from July 24 to August 3;
- Rhythmic gymnastics from August 6 to 8;
- Handball from July 24 to August 8;
- Judo from July 24 to July 31;
- Karate from August 5 to 7: Wrestling from August 1 to 7;
- Swimming from July 24 to August 1;
- Open water swimming on August 4 and 5;
- Artistic swimming / Diving from July 25 to August 7;
- Modern Pentathlon from August 5 to 7;
- Rugby sevens from July 26 to July 31;
- Skateboard July 25 and 26, August 4 and 5;
- Surf from July 25 to 28;
- Taekwondo from July 24 to 27;
- Table tennis from July 24 to August 6;
- Tennis from July 29 to August 1;
- Shooting from July 24 to August 2;
- Archery from July 27 to July 31;
- Triathlon July 26, 27 and July 31;
- Sailing from July 31 to August 4;
- Volleyball and beach volleyball from July 24 to August 8;
- MTB from July 26th and 27th.
