The Olympics are the world’s most overwhelming sporting event to follow. Unlike March Madness or the World Cup, there are dozens of different sports, countless rules to familiarize yourself with and the possibility of being fully entranced by an event you can’t quite remember if you’ve ever seen before.
This summer in Paris they’ll hand out medals in 329 events across 39 sports. You can’t watch all of them—though the brave among us will try—so this road map is a solid starting point. Here’s a daily viewing guide to check out some of the top competitors and biggest moments, with a taste of the niche and novel. The athletes everyone will be talking about and the sports that will give you fun facts to impress your friends. A plan to make the most of these 19 days that you can never totally plan for.
