Unlike the opening ceremony on the Seine on 26 July, the closing ceremony will be a more classical affair at the Stade de France. A ceremony still shrouded in mystery, whose only clue is a trailer worthy of science fiction. Men from outer space bring a defunct Olympic Games back to life.

The artistic direction of the ceremony is in the hands of Thomas Jolly, who directed the opening ceremony on 26 July. This time, Jolly has prepared a show called 'Records', which promises to take viewers on an immersive journey through time, from the origins of the Olympic Games to a dystopian future where the Games have disappeared and must be reinvented.

The sci-fi-inspired narrative will include a sequence in which "travellers from another space-time" discover the remains of Olympism and reconstruct the Olympic rings. The event will feature a hundred dancers and acrobats, including the talented Breton dancer Arthur Cadre, known as Lil Crabe, who will take centre stage in a huge, improvised 2,800 m2 performance hall.

The Closing Ceremony will also feature major musical acts. French bands Air and Phoenix, known for their influence on the electro-pop scene, will take to the stage. There is speculation that Beyoncé may also make a special appearance, although this has not been officially confirmed.

Tom Cruise, who will perform a spectacular stunt rappelling down the Stade de France, will be one of the main attractions of the evening. The performance will be a symbol of the transfer of the Olympic flag between Paris and Los Angeles, the next host city for the 2028 Olympic Games.

The star will take part in a seven- to eight-minute sequence organised by the Americans just before the protocol speeches. It will include footage of the chase the actor filmed in April near the Champs-Elysees and the Bir-Hakeim bridge. The footage showed him speeding on a motorbike with a large white flag missing only the Olympic rings.

Thierry Reboul, executive director of the ceremonies, has kept many details of the event under wraps, but has promised a spectacle that will not disappoint. "The positive reviews of the Opening Ceremony far outweigh the few negative ones," said Reboul, assuring that the Closing Ceremony will go according to plan with plenty of surprises.

The programme includes the traditional elements of the Olympic Closing Ceremony: the parade of athletes, the thanking of volunteers, the medal ceremony, the extinguishing of the Olympic flame and the proclamation of the end of the Olympic Games made by the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach. 

The ceremony will end with a great moment: the handover of the Olympic flag between Anne Hidalgo and Karen Bass, the respective mayors of Paris and Los Angeles.

After a rainy Opening Ceremony, the weather is expected to be milder for the Closing Ceremony. The heat may be unbearable, but it will be worth watching the Closing Ceremony as Paris bids farewell to the Olympics in style, handing the flag to Los Angeles and marking the end of an extraordinary Olympic fortnight.