How to Attend the Paris Olympics for Free

With over a year until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games begin in France (and just weeks before tickets go on sale), avid sports fans have an opportunity to attend the events at no cost: by volunteering.

Volunteers will assist with various tasks, including directing spectators to their seats, greeting athletes at the Athletes’ Village, transporting competitors and officials in minibuses or cars, setting up starting blocks for track and field events, collecting tennis balls, and distributing equipment such as radios, headsets, and uniforms. Each Olympics requires approximately 45,000 volunteers, with the organizing committees starting their recruitment about two years in advance.

You can apply now until May 3, 2023. The organizing committee will evaluate applications throughout the summer, and candidates will be informed about their volunteer assignments between September and December 2023.

Here’s what else you should know about applying to volunteer for the Paris 2024 games.

Eligibility Criteria for Applications

To apply, volunteers must be at least 18 years old as of January 1, 2024, and must be legally permitted to travel to France during the games. While U.S. citizens need a passport for entry into France, they do not require a tourist visa and can stay for up to 90 days. (Note that the European Travel Information and Authorization System [ETIAS] is set to launch in 2024, meaning all U.S. citizens traveling to France will need to register with ETIAS or risk being denied entry at the border.)

As the official languages of the games are French and English, volunteers must be fluent in at least one of these languages. (The application includes proficiency tests, but these are optional.)

Additional Skills That May Enhance Your Application

While most volunteer positions do not necessitate specific skills, some roles may require additional language abilities, a valid driver’s license, or extensive knowledge of certain sports. The application process features sections for these extra skills, allowing for better matching with suitable roles. For instance, volunteers holding a diploma and three years of experience in a field like equine healthcare may be assigned to assist at the equestrian events in Versailles.

Schedule and Locations

Volunteers will be needed from the opening of the Athletes’ Village on July 12, 2024, until September 10, 2024, which is two days after the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games. While full availability during this period isn't mandatory, preference will be given to those who can commit to volunteering for at least 10 days within these two months.

For applicants who are unavailable during the summer of 2024, there are opportunities to volunteer at test events scheduled between July 2023 and May 2024.

Potential volunteers will also be asked to specify which regions they can travel to, as the Paris 2024 games will not be limited to Paris alone. Events will be held across various locations in mainland France, including Bordeaux, Châteauroux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, and Saint-Etienne. (Surfing competitions will occur in Tahiti, a French overseas territory.) To assist applicants in selecting locations, the games have created a map outlining the different geographical clusters.

What’s Excluded

Volunteers will have free access to the events they are assigned to work at. However, there is no assurance that they can attend specific events or matches.

According to the volunteer website, "Assisting behind the scenes and watching the Games as a spectator are two very distinct experiences. If you're keen on witnessing competitions, your best option is to purchase a ticket and savor the excitement from the stands."

Moreover, the games do not reimburse travel expenses to France or provide accommodations for volunteers during their assignments. (Volunteers will receive free local public transportation and meals on the days they are working at the games or training for their roles.)

How to Submit Your Application Online

The online application process takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes to complete at paris2024.org. Once started, you can save your progress and return later to finish it.

The initial stage of the application involves collecting personal details such as email, name, phone number, birthdate, and country of residence, along with inquiries about relevant skills and availability. At this point, applicants will choose between two volunteer programs. The Paris 2024 application is specifically for those wishing to volunteer at official Games venues (these roles can be explored here). The alternative application is for a more general volunteer position with the City of Paris, where you'll assist visitors in public spaces as they explore various landmarks and cultural sites.

The second phase includes a role-matching exercise consisting of 180 quick-fire questions that takes roughly 20 minutes to complete, aimed at determining the best volunteer tasks for each individual. The questions focus more on personality traits than specific skills, likely assessing whether potential volunteers are friendly extroverts suited for direct interaction with event attendees or organized individuals better suited for operational duties like equipment distribution.

Prefer to buy tickets to the Olympics instead? Here’s how to do it.

From now until April 20, 2023, you can register for the lottery for individual tickets for all events, including finals and the opening and closing ceremonies. (Event dates and pricing can be found online before the lottery results are announced.) Notifications will be sent via email starting May 9, 2023, to inform winners of the draw. That email will provide a time slot (within the next two days) to purchase tickets during a 48-hour period.