Opening Ceremonies London 2012 Schedule: Where to Watch on TV and Online

Culture

The wait is almost over!

With the London 2012 Summer Olympics officially kicking off Friday, people across the globe are getting fired up to cheer for their respective countries as they compete for the gold. With headlines ranging from the Phelps-Lochte rivalry to Saudi Arabia sending its first woman, this year's Olympics should not disappoint.

All of the major programming that is listed below will be on NBC. However, the NBC family of networks (Bravo, NBC Sports, MSNBC, and CNBC) will also be showing events throughout the day (check out TVGuide.com for specifics). Finally, in addition to television, NBC will also be using the website NBCOlympics.com and a smartphone app in order to be able to stream every event live for the first time ever.

Below are the specifics on where and when to watch major Olympic on NBC during week one (Friday, July 27 to Saturday, August 4):

Friday, July 27 – 7:30 p.m. EDT

Opening Ceremony

Saturday, July 28 – 5:00 a.m. EDT

Candace Parker (left), Diana Taurasi (right), and the rest of the U.S. women's basketball team will face off against Croatia.

Final, Men’s Cycling (Road Race) Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Volleyball Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Basketball Preliminaries, Beach Volleyball

Saturday, July 28 – 8:00 p.m. EDT

American swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are expected to face off in the men's 400m IM final on Saturday night.

Final, Men’s 400m Individual Medley Final, Men’s 400m Freestyle Final, Women’s 400m Individual Medley Final, Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Qualification, Men’s Gymnastics (Team Competition) Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball

Sunday, July 29 – 12:30 a.m. EDT

Final, Women’s 48kg Weightlifting

Sunday, July 29 – 7:00 a.m. EDT

Volleyball players Todd Rogers (left) and Phil Dalhausser (right), who will play Sunday morning, will try to defend their gold from Beijing.

Finals, Women’s Cycling (Road Race) Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Volleyball Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Water Polo Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Beach Volleyball Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball Qualification, Women’s Gymnastics (Team Competition)

Sunday, July 29 – 7:00 p.m. EDT

The U.S. women's gymnastics team, led by standouts Gabby Douglas (far left) and Jordyn Wieber (second from right), will try to improve on their silver in 2008.

Final, Women’s 100m Butterfly Final, Women’s 400m Freestyle Final, Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final, Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final, Women’s Synchronized Diving (Springboard) Qualification, Women’s Gymnastics

Monday, July 30 – 12:35 a.m. EDT

Preliminaries, Men’s Canoeing (Slalom) Preliminaries, Women’s Canoeing (Slalom) Preliminaries, Men’s Kayaking

Monday, July 30 – 10:00 a.m. EDT

After a feature in ESPN The Magazine's "The Body Issue," the U.S. women's team is looking for redemption against the Brazilians, who stole the gold in Beijing.

Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Volleyball Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Water Polo Preliminaries, Beach Volleyball Qualification, Men’s Swimming Qualification, Women’s Swimming Qualification, Men’s Rowing Qualification, Women’s Rowing Qualification, Men’s Canoeing Qualification, Women’s Canoeing

Monday, July 30 – 8:00 p.m. EDT

After a disappointing bronze medal in Beijing, the U.S. men's gymnastics team is looking to bounce back as they compete for the team gold medal.

Final, Men’s Gymnastics (Team Competition) Final, Men’s 200m Freestyle Final, Men’s 100m Backstroke Final, Women’s 100m Backstroke Final, Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final, Men’s Synchronized Diving (Platform) Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball

Tuesday, July 31 – 12:35 a.m. EDT

Semifinal, Women’s 200m Individual Medley Preliminaries, Men’s Two-Man Canoe Preliminaries, Women’s Two-Man Canoe Preliminaries, Women’s Kayaking

Tuesday, July 31 – 10:00 a.m. EDT

Captain Tony Azevedo (right) and the rest of the U.S. men's water polo team will try to win against Romania on Tuesday on the road to improving to a gold medal from their silver in Beijing.

Final, Men’s Canoeing (C-1 Whitewater) Semifinal, Men’s Rowing Semifinal, Women’s Rowing Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Volleyball Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Water Polo Preliminaries, U.S. Beach Volleyball Qualification, Men’s Swimming Qualification, Women’s Swimming

Tuesday, July 31 – 8:00 p.m. EDT

American swimmers Allison Schmitt (left) and Missy Franklin (right) will most likely go head to head in the 200m freestyle; Schmitt edged out Franklin at Olympic trials.

Final, Women’s Gymnastics (Team Competition) Final, Men’s 200m Butterfly Final, Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final, Women’s 200m Freestyle Final, Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final, Women’s Synchronized Diving (Platform)

Wednesday, August 1 – 12:35 a.m. EDT

2009 Beach Volleyball World Champions Jen Kessy (left) and April Ross (right) will compete in a preliminary match against the Netherlands for the United States.

Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball Semifinal, Men’s Swimming Semifinal, Men’s Swimming

Wednesday, August 1 – 10:00 a.m. EDT

The U.S. women's water polo team will go head-to-head with the Spanish, trying to improve to a gold from their silver in Beijing.

Final, Men’s Rowing Final, Women’s Rowing Final, Men’s Kayaking (K-1 Whitewater) Final, Men’s Cycling (Individual Time Trial) Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Volleyball Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Water Polo Preliminaries, Men’s Beach Volleyball Preliminaries, Women’s Beach Volleyball Qualification, Men’s Swimming Qualification, Women’s Swimming

Wednesday, August 1 – 8:00 p.m. EDT

Will Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh go back-to-back gold? They will compete on Wednesday in a preliminary match.

Final, Men’s 200m Breaststroke Final, Men’s 100m Freestyle Final, Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final, Women’s 200m Butterfly Final, Men’s Gymnastics (All-Around) Final, Men’s Synchronized Diving (Springboard) Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball

Thursday, August 2 – 12:35 a.m. EDT

Semifinal, Women’s Swimming Preliminaries, Women’s Cycling (Road Time Trial)

Thursday, August 2 – 10:00 a.m. EDT

Richard Lambourne and the rest of the U.S. men's volleyball team look for a little déjà vu as they play Brazil, the team they beat in the finals in Beijing.

Final, Men’s Cycling (Team Sprint) Final, Women’s Cycling (Team Sprint) Final, Men’s Canoeing (C-2 Whitewater) Final, Men’s Rowing Final, Women’s Rowing Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Volleyball Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Water Polo Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball Qualification, Men’s Swimming Qualification, Women’s Swimming

Thursday, August 2 – 8:00 p.m. EDT

Tyler Clary, arguably the third best American swimmer behind Phelps and Lochte, is looking to make a name for himself as he competes in the 200m backstroke alongside Lochte.

Final, Women’s Gymnastics (Individual All-Around) Final, Men’s 200m Backstroke Final, Men’s 200m Individual Medley Final, Women’s 200m Breaststroke Final, Women’s 100m Freestyle Final, Women’s Rowing (Eights) Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Beach Volleyball

Friday, August 3 – 12:35 a.m. EDT

Will China, led by world number one Wang Hao, sweep the gold, silver, and bronze, or will somebody break into this dynasty?

Final, Women’s Kayaking (K-1 Whitewater) Final, Men’s Table Tennis (Singles)

Friday, August 3 – 10:00 a.m. EDT

Final, Men’s Rowing Final, Women’s Rowing Qualification, Men’s Athletics Qualification, Women’s Athletics Qualification, Men’s Swimming Qualification, Women’s Swimming Preliminaries, Men’s Beach Volleyball Preliminaries, Women’s Beach Volleyball

Friday, August 3 – 8:00 p.m. EDT

Will American swimmer Cullen Jones be able to dethrone reigning gold medalist and Olympic record holder César Cielo in the 50m freestyle?

Final, Men’s 100m Butterfly Final, Men’s 50m Freestyle Final, Women’s 200m Backstroke Final, Women’s 800m Freestyle Final, Men’s Athletics (Shot-Put) Final, Men’s Gymnastics (Trampoline) Preliminaries, U.S. Women’s Volleyball Qualification, Women’s Diving (Springboard)

Saturday, August 4 – 12:35 a.m. EDT

Will home field advantage play a role for Briton Jessica Ennis, or will she have no luck in this year's heptathlon?

Final, Women’s Cycling (Keirin) Final, Men’s Cycling (Team Pursuit) Final, Women’s Heptathlon (Day 1 of 2)

Saturday, August 4 – 9:00 a.m. EDT

If Serena rides her momentum from Wimbledon into the Olympics to win the gold medal, she will be the first player in history to have all four Grand Slams, and both the singles and doubles gold medal.

Final, Women’s Tennis (Singles) Final, Women’s Gymnastics (Trampoline) Final, Men’s Rowing Final, Women’s Rowing Final, Men’s Cycling (Track) Final, Women’s Cycling (Track) Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Volleyball Preliminaries, U.S. Men’s Water Polo Preliminaries, Men’s Beach Volleyball Preliminaries, Women’s Beach Volleyball Qualification, Men’s Athletics

Saturday, August 4 – 8:00 p.m. EDT

American sprinters Carmelita Jeter and Allyson Felix will most likely go head to head in the 100m dash.

Final, Women’s Athletics (100m) Final, Women’s Heptathlon (Day 2 of 2) Final, Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay Final, Women’s 4x100 Medley Relay Final, Women’s 50m Freestyle Final, Men’s 1500m Freestyle Semifinal, Women’s Diving (Springboard) Qualification, Men’s Athletics (Long Jump) Preliminaries, Beach Volleyball

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