Though a handful of Olympic events have already taken place, things will kick into high gear on Friday when the Games formally begin with the Opening Ceremony and the lighting of the ceremonial torch.
The Opening Ceremony on Friday will mark one of the largest international gatherings since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — though it comes under a state of emergency as case rates in Japan rise.
The Opening Ceremony will take place live on NBC Friday morning at 7 a.m. ET — 6 p.m. local time in Tokyo — and will continue for several hours until its conclusion around noon ET.
Those who aren't able to watch in the morning can still catch NBC's primetime broadcast of the Ceremony, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
Here's what else is on tap for the Olympic schedule on Friday.
Archery
The ranking round of mixed-team archery will begin at midnight ET (1 p.m. local time) on Thursday night and continue into the early hours of Friday morning. The American team of Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold expect to be competitive, having won the event at the 2019 Pan American Games.
Later on Friday, at 8:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. ET Saturday), the mixed-team competition will begin the elimination rounds.
Rowing
Rowing comeptitions on Tokyo's Sea Forwest Waterway will continue Friday with men's and women's single-, double- and quadruple sculls. The U.S. will feature several competitors on both the men's and women's sides.
Rowing heats will air on NBCSN at noon ET on Friday and online at 7:30 p.m. ET.
