Olympic Opening Ceremony Time 2018: Full Lineup for Historic Event

Pyeongchang, South Korea, has gone all out to make sure the 2018 Olympics opening ceremony will go down in history as an extraordinary kickoff for this year's Games. 

The Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium was built for the sole purpose of hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, on Friday and Feb. 25, respectively. The 35,000-seat venue will be torn down following the Olympics and serve as the site of a new museum. 

Before the Olympics officially begin, here is what to expect from South Korea and the rest of the world during the ceremony. 

Date: Friday, Feb. 9

Start Time (ET): 6 a.m. (Live); 8 p.m. (NBC Telecast)

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

Per the fact sheet from the International Olympic Committee, there are 11 features that must be included during every opening ceremony: entry by the head of state, playing the national anthem, the parade of participants, symbolic release of pigeons, head of state declaring the Games open, raising the Olympic flag and playing the Olympic anthem, taking of the Olympic oath by an athlete, official and coach, Olympic flame and torch relay and the artistic program.

The two best-known elements of every opening ceremony are the athletes' parade and the final Olympic torch relay before the lighting of the Olympic flame.

The parade, for the most part, goes in alphabetical order by country. The only outliers are Greece, which kicks off the parade, and the host country, which enters last.

Greece was given the right to start the parade because the country was the birthplace of the Olympics, with the first games being held in 776 B.C. in Olympia. As explained on the Olympics' official website:

"Imposing temples, votive buildings, elaborate shrines and ancient sporting facilities were combined in a site of unique natural and mystical beauty. Olympia functioned as a meeting place for worship and other religious and political practices as early as the 10th century B.C. The central part of Olympia was dominated by the majestic temple of Zeus, with the temple of Hera parallel to it."

Specific details about music and entertainment have been kept under close guard. Tracy Snyder of NBC News noted it's expected there will be nods to Korean culture throughout the ceremony. 

Korean singer Insooni debuted "Let Everyone Sing" last July as the official song of the Olympic torch relay.

A robot will carry the torch into the Olympic Stadium during Friday's ceremony, with Snyder adding that South Korean Olympic gold-medal winner Yuna Kim is among the favorites to light the flame. 

After the opening ceremony is complete, the stage will be set for a Winter Olympics-record 102 medal events to take place over the Games, featuring the best athletes in the world competing in 15 sports to claim their places in the history books.