How to watch the Tokyo 2020 Olympics closing ceremony – date, time and TV channel
With just a week of events left to go before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics draws to a close, here's everything you need to know about the upcoming closing ceremony.
After what has been another tremendously successful Olympic Games for Team GB, it all draws to a close today with the closing ceremony in Tokyo.
Nearly all the events have now been completed, with Team GB levelling their medal-haul from the London 2012 Olympics nine years ago, and so it's now time for fans to turn their attention to the ceremony – we have all the details for how you can tune in.
Much like the opening ceremony, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics closing ceremony will see a limited number of competing athletes parade around Tokyo's Olympic Stadium before Japan hand over the Olympic flag to France, who are hosting the 2024 Games in Paris next.
For Team GB, cyclist Laura Kenny has been selected as the flagbearer after another brilliant Games, in which she became Great Britain's most successful ever Olympian.
Read on for everything you need to know about Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games closing ceremony. Plus, find out the highlights of the Olympics on TV today and read more about the Team GB medals at the 2020 Olympics.
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When is the Olympics 2020 closing ceremony?
The Tokyo Olympics 2020 closing ceremony will take place today on Sunday 8th August 2021.
The ceremony will kick off once the last events of the day have finished, which include water polo, volleyball, boxing and the marathon.
What time is the Olympics 2020 closing ceremony on TV?
The Olympics 2020 closing ceremony will begin at 8pm in Tokyo, which is 12pm BST for viewers in the UK.
The BBC coverage of the spectacle will begin at 11:55am on BBC One and end at 3pm, with athletes, fans and organisers coming together to pass the Olympic torch onto France, who will be hosting the 2024 opening ceremony before the next Games.
How to watch the Olympics 2020 closing ceremony in the UK
Sports fans in the UK will be able to tune in to BBC One to watch the Olympic closing ceremony, which will be hosting coverage from 11:55am until 3pm.
The ceremony will also stream on BBC iPlayer, while the BBC Sport website and the BBC Red Button are providing extra coverage.
Alternatively, Eurosport 1 will also be broadcasting coverage of the closing ceremony, starting from 11:30am and ending at 4pm.
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How long is the Olympics 2020 closing ceremony?
The Tokyo Olympics 2020 closing ceremony is scheduled to air between 12pm and 3pm on BBC One, with the ceremony expected to last for approximately three hours.
Bringing this year's Olympics to a close, the event will watch as Tokyo hands over their Olympic responsibilities to France, who'll be hosting the Olympics in Paris in 2024.
What happens at the Olympics closing ceremony?
The theme of this year's closing ceremony is 'worlds we share', with the three-hour event marking the end of a Games like no other.
The ceremony usually sees the competing athletes enter the arena for a parade, accompanied by their national flag. The Japanese flag will be raised first before a performance of the country's national anthem and artistic programme put together by the committee.
"We hope that this ceremony may be a moment for each and every one of us to think about what the future holds," the Tokyo 2020 Olympic committee has said in a statement.
The Antwerp ceremony will also take place, which will see Japan hand over the Olympic flag to the next host nation set to the Greek national anthem before the Olympic flame is distinguished.
Where is the Olympics 2020 closing ceremony taking place?
The 2020 closing ceremony will take place at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium – which is where the opening ceremony was also held.
The stadium is generally used for football games in Tokyo.
Which Team GB athletes will be attending the Olympics 2020 closing ceremony?
Since all athletes have been asked to leave Tokyo within 48 hours of their events finishing, there will be smaller groups of athletes attending the parade at the closing ceremony this year. This policy has been implemented due to the going coronavirus pandemic.
Record-breaking cyclist Laura Kenny has been selected as Team GB's flagbearer for the closing ceremony after winning Gold at her third successive Olympics and becoming GB's most successful ever female Olympian.
On being chosen, Kenny said, "The past 18 months have been tough for everyone, and I really hope me and my Team GB teammates have given the nation something to celebrate."
Will the Olympics 2020 closing ceremony be different this year due to COVID?
The main differences to this year's closing ceremony are the lack of public spectators – with only athletes, officials and dignitaries allowed to attend the event – and the fact that only a small number of athletes will be attending the parade. This is due to the fact that athletes are asked to head back to their home countries within 48 hours of finishing their competitions.
Will there be fans at the Olympics 2020 closing ceremony?
In a similar fashion to the opening ceremony, spectators will not be allowed to attend the closing ceremony due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The athletes who've remained in Tokyo as well as dignitaries and officials will be present at the event, much of which has been pre-recorded.
Where will the 2024 Olympics be held?
The next Olympic Games will be held in Paris, which is the next host city. The Tokyo closing ceremony will see Japan hand over the Olympic flag to France.
If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
