But how will Brisbane’s venues for the 2032 Games stack up against those in Paris? From Victoria Park to QSAC and the Broadbeach Park Stadium, see how our venues compare.

Athletics

France’s largest stadium, Stade de France, is hosting the track and field athletics at this year’s Olympics. Located just north of Paris in Saint-Denis, the venue boasts a seating capacity of 80,698. After the Games, it will continue to host the country’s biggest sporting and cultural events. Meanwhile Brisbane’s Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) will be upgraded – at a cost in excess of $1.6bn – ahead of the 2032 Olympics. It is expected to have a seating capacity of 40,000.

Beach volleyball

Competing for gold underneath the Eiffel Tower sounds too much like a dream, but that is exactly what athletes competing in the beach volleyball athletes are doing. The Eiffel Tower stadium, though temporary, has a capacity of 11,800. Brisbane’s volleyball competition will be held at Broadbeach Park Stadium – a temporary venue that will seat 12,000. It will also host the Paralympic football five-a-side competition.

Equestrian cross country

Versailles Palace Gardens are home to Paris’ equestrian cross country competition. To make the experience even more magical for athletes, pontoons were set up prior to the games to allow horses to cross the Grand Canal during the event.

Up to 40,000 were able to attend the cross country with temporary grandstands constructed to cater for spectators. Brisbane’s expansive Victoria Parklands will cater for equestrian events with a standing capacity of 25,000 and temporary seating capacity of 5000.

Triathlon

More than 100 triathletes went take on a tour of Paris during their event, starting in the River Seine and finishing on the Pont du Alexander III Bridge. Broadwater Parklands, already the hub of the Gold Coast marathon, will also host the triathlon in 2032. A total of 5000 temporary seats will be constructed.

Tennis

Iconic Roland Garros, home to the French Open, hosted Paris’ tennis events. Built in 1928, the centre features 18 courts while the main stadium seats 15,000. Brisbane 2032’s tennis events will be held at the Queensland Tennis Centre, which seats 5500 and features 22 competition and training courts across multiple surfaces. But is it 5km from the Eiffel Tower? No, no it isn’t.

Modern pentathlon

In the famous gardens of the former home of King Louis XIV was where the Modern pentathlon was held. The stunning Palace of Versailles, once an epicentre of French royalty, can hold up to 40,000 spectators for the event. Brighton Homes Arena, also known as Ipswich Stadium, will be home to the Modern pentathlon in 2032, with 10,000 audience members able to watch the event.

Surfing

Just when Paris’ Olympic facilities couldn’t get any better, athletes where flown 10,000km from the French mainland to idyllic Tahiti for surfing. A total of 600 surfing fans watched from the beach as Olympians battled for gold. Brisbane 2032’s surfing events will be held on the Gold Coast.

Fencing

Built in 1900, the stunning Le Grand Palais was host to 9000 spectators and competing fencers underneath the dazzling 45-metre high glass roof. While the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is a fantastic cultural precinct for Queenslanders, it does not nearly have the same historical significance as the iconic French museum. Brisbane’s fencing venue will have a capacity 6500 with no upgrades required.

Swimming

Swimming is held at La Défense Arena, which opened in 2017. It’s a rugby stadium converted with a drop in pool. Thanks to 600 dynamic giant aluminium and glass scales that make up the building’s exterior facade, the arena seems to come to life for the various events that it stages. The swimming events at Brisbane 2024 will be hosted in the new $2.5bn, Brisbane Arena, which will include a temporary pool and 15,000 seats.

Archery

Hotel Des Invalides, which was built during the reign of Louis XIV in 1687 as a military hospital and retirement home for war veterans, has been fitted out to become an exclusive facility for Olympic archers. The museum is directly opposite the elegant Pont Alexandre III bridge, which links the site to the Grand Palais on the right bank of the Seine. The world-renowned building trumps Brisbane’s South Bank Cultural Forecourt, which will fit just 4000 spectators for archery in 2032.

BMX Freestyle

Once an execution site during the French Revolution in 1772, Place De La Concorde was transformed to hold the BMX freestyle with up to 37,000 spectators. Brisbane’s BMX events will be held at Victoria Park with a standing capacity of 25,000 and 5000 temporary seats.

Whitewater rafting

The impressive Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium is hosting the canoe slalom and rowing events during the Paris Olympics. The sports centre boasts a brand new whitewater stadium, including 300m and 150m courses. Brisbane 2032’s whitewater events will be hosted at the Redland Whitewater Centre. It will have capacity of 8000, compared to Vaires-sur-Marne’s 22,000.

Football finals

As much as Queenslanders take pride in Suncorp Stadium, or Brisbane Stadium, it cannot beat the extravagance that is Parc des Princes. Owned by PSG, the Olympic football quarterfinals, and gold medal matches, are taking place at the state-of-the-art facility.

Brisbane Stadium may hold more people – 52,500 versus Parc des Princes’ 48,229 – but it isn’t a 10-minute drive from the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe or the Pantheon.