The COVID-19 pandemic had brought about the postponement of the most anticipated global sporting event, Olympics 2020, much to the disappointment of fans the world over.

The wait seems to have been worth it, with Tokyo all set to host the event in a hitherto unheard-of way. However, the virus scare notwithstanding, the event is now ready to unfold.

Japan will roll out the red carpet in front of the world's citizens watching the games, albeit from the comfort of their homes, due to the coronavirus scare.

The Olympics will get off to a gala start on July 23, Friday, with the opening ceremony scheduled to begin at 7:00 AM ET (8:00 PM Tokyo time).

The world's best athletes will come together to compete in 28 different sports. For the record, Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST).

The opening ceremony, TV telecast, and streaming info

The authorities scheduled a couple of competitions, even before the opening ceremony, including soccer and softball events. The official start, however, will happen with the opening ceremony scheduled for the evening in Tokyo.

However, it remains to be seen how colorful the opening ceremony will be when the world reels under the pandemic.

Going by the final schedule, the competitions will begin much earlier, with soccer and softball games scheduled for July 21 and 22.

Further, archery and rowing preliminaries will start on July 23 before the official opening.

Sporting fans in the United States will watch the opening ceremony live on NBC, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, fuboTV, and more channels and streaming platforms.

Though the Opening Ceremony will be an NBC event, the network will bring the entire Olympic Games live to people's homes via its other arms.

For those who aren't in the know of things yet, the Olympics opening ceremony will run for about four long hours. It will start at 7:00 AM. ET and will run until 11:00 AM. ET.

Games and their venues

As many as 42 venues spread across Japan will host a variety of Olympics action. While the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium will see competitions in Table Tennis, the Yoyogi National Stadium will host Handball action.

The other venues are: Nippon Budokan (Judo, Karate); Tokyo International Forum (Weightlifting); Kokugikan Arena (Boxing); Equestrian Park (Equestrian); Musashino Forest Sport Plaza (Badminton, Pentathlon); Tokyo Stadium (Soccer, Pentathlon, Rugby); Ariake Arena (Indoor Volleyball); Ariake Gymnastics Centre (Gymnastics); Ariake Urban Sports Park (Cycling, BMX Racing/Freestyle, Skateboarding); Ariake Tennis Park (Tennis); Odaiba Marine Park (Marathon Swimming, Triathlon); Shiokaze Park (Beach Volleyball); Aomi Urban Sports Park (3-on-3 Basketball, Sport Climbing); Oi Hockey Stadium (Field Hockey); Sea Forest Cross-Country Course (Equestrian-Eventing, Cross Country.)

Where are all the spectators headed for

There isn't any doubt that the Tokyo Olympics 2021 will be enveloped in a nostalgic thrill and modern-day records.

But what concerns a considerable section of people around the globe is whether such a significant sporting event makes sense during the pandemic era. It is a fact that spectators would number just zero at the games venues, but still, it would be seen as a celebration in times of COVID-induced sorrow. What could be the stadium's loss would be the television's gain, with spectators all set to spend days and nights together in front of the TV and other streaming platforms.

The global event is set to be Tokyo's pride, and the Japanese city is said to have readied the sporting spread at approximately $15.4 billion. Though this is the estimate, the actual cost is believed to be double that amount.
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