Euro 2016 begins today in France. (Getty)
The Euro tournament’s opening ceremony is an event unto itself. Every four years, the Euros begin with a stunning performance by artists, musicians and other contributors depending on the theme.
This year’s opening ceremony is slated to begin at 2:30 p.m. Eastern, approximately 30 minutes prior to kickoff of the opening match. The ceremony will take place prior to France and Romania getting Euro 2016 started. ESPN will broadcast the opening ceremony live from Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France.
“Bienvenue en France” is this year’s theme. David Guetta headlines the musical performance with an appearance from Swedish singer Zara Larsson.
UEFA provided an overview of the opening ceremony in a recent release.
Drawing inspiration from icons of French popular culture, the event will include around 150 can-can dancers and an acrobatic demonstration by the French Air Force will fly over the stadium, performing the Patrouille de France ahead of the national anthems – which will be played by the French Republican Guard and the Choir School of Radio France,” the statement reads.
Here’s a look at the 2012 opening ceremony: