The early rounds of competition will be staged at Lord's Cricket Ground on the morning of the Opening Ceremony on July 27, the first time that has happened.

Football, as has become traditional, will be the first sport to be staged with the opening match due on Wednesday, July 25.

But is set to take place at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

The dates were among several outlined at the World Press Briefing here by Debbie Jevans, the London 2012 Director of Sport, who also revealed that the Games will feature 59 more ticketed sessions than were staged at Beijing 2008.

While there were a total of 569 ticketed sessions at the Beijing 2008 Games, some of which lasted up to eight hours, London will feature 628 sessions.

The ticketed sessions at the London 2012 Games are set to be far shorter that they were in Beijing in a bid to ensure that those who buy tickets remain in their seats for the duration of the session.

Jevans said: "At present, we have 628 sessions scheduled to take place at London 2012 which equates to 59 more sessions than there were in Beijing.

"In Beijing, some of the sessions lasted up to eight hours which is far too long to expect spectators to remain seated for so we have decided to have more sessions in London with the sessions taking place over a shorter period.

"Some of these sessions will be double-headers, like in the football where spectators will get to see two matches in a row, while some will be single-headers.

"We anticipate that this will give spectators more of a chance to see the action and be a part of the Games at London 2012."

The first medal of the London 2012 Games will be awarded in the sport of shooting - in an event yet to be decided - while the men’s and women’s cycling road race will be staged on the opening weekend of the Games.

The men’s and women’s marathons are due be held on the middle Sunday and final day of the Games while tennis events, which will be staged at the All England Club at Wimbledon, will take place in the first week of proceedings.

The provisional schedule Jevans outlined has been drawn up in consultation with the appropriate International Federations and broadcasters and will be submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in November this year.

Should the IOC approve the schedule, London 2012 will announce the finalised schedule early next year.

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