The 2016 Olympic Games formally begin with Opening Ceremony in the world's festival hotspots and capital of energy and colours, Rio de Janeiro on Friday August 5, 2016 at the Maracana Stadium.

The Rio Olympics 2016 will host Competitors from 206 countries and a huge crowd of three billion individuals

And a displaced person group are in Brazil to contend in 28 wears and be viewed by a worldwide gathering

The opening ceremony is at midnight BST or 8pm EDT on Friday night followed by oath-taking ceremony of all the athletes, as well as the Parade of Nations, where the 207 groups of participating countries show-off their flags and banners to a global audience. Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen and Briton Dame Judi Dench are affirmed to have parts in the opening ceremony program before Parade of Nations.

The activity has already commenced two days back with the ladies' football, however the official ceremony is speculated to be attended by Brazilian soccer legend Pelé who will be lighting the iconic Olympics cauldron. Protecting Olympic men's tennis champion Andy Murray will be Great Britain's banner carrier.

You can watch the inside Rio's Maracana stadium on NBC a stream with a one-hour delay and BBC One. Further coverage is available on BBC Radio 5 live.

The entire event has taken five years of painstaking time to craft and perfect, and incorporated 300 dancers, 5,000 volunteers from across the region, and 12,000 ensembles. 

There will be 10,500 competitors from around the world contending in Rio, including the Refugee Olympic Team that will contend under the Olympic banner. It has 10 individuals - five from South Sudan, two from Syria, two from DR Congo and one from Ethiopia. It will also be the first time that Kosovo and South Sudan participate in the Games.

Live stream of the openng ceremony is available here