Moments ago, the EBU, the European Broadcasting Union, alongside ORF, the Austrian national broadcaster, have announced the Host City of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.

Vienna will host the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. The Grand Final will be on Saturday 16th May, while the Semi Finals will be on Tuesday 12th and Thursday 14th May. You can watch the full reveal below:

Vienna hosted the first Contest to be held in Austria in 1967 following Udo Jürgens’ win with “Merci Chérie” in 1966. It also hosted the 60th Eurovision Song Contest in 2015, following Conchita Wurst’s victory in 2014, and will now host the 70th edition in 2026.

Austria’s capital was chosen to welcome delegations from participating public broadcasters following a competitive city bid process that examined facilities at the venue, local infrastructure and the ability to accommodate thousands of visiting delegations, crew, fans and journalists from around the world, amongst other criteria.

Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, had the following to say:

“The EBU is thrilled that Vienna has been selected as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.

Vienna’s reputation as one of the most musical cities in the world, and its location in the heart of Europe, makes it the perfect Host City for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest.

The city’s exceptional Stadthalle was a great venue for the 60th Contest in 2015 and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming delegations, artists and fans alike back there next May as the world’s largest live music event celebrates 70 glorious years of being United by Music.

Together with Host Broadcaster ORF and the city of Vienna we will create a spectacular celebration of music that will reverberate across the world.”

Roland Weißmann, Director General of Host Broadcaster ORF, had the following to say:

“After thorough examination and based on a unanimous jury assessment, ORF concluded that Vienna’s offer is not only the most attractive in terms of infrastructure and logistics but also economically. The Contest is a celebration for all of Austria, which we will all be proud of.”

Michael Ludwig, Mayor of Vienna, had the following to say:

“In Vienna, we can be proud that our city has been selected by the EBU and ORF as the most suitable Host City for one of the world’s largest events.

We submitted a convincing overall package with enormous accommodation capacities, excellent infrastructure, and a lot of experience in hosting international events. Additionally, we placed great emphasis on offering numerous Eurovision Song Contest events in public spaces that can be visited free of charge. 

As the Mayor of Vienna, it is very important to me that cultural events are accessible to everyone, regardless of the size of their wallet. As the Mayor of Vienna, I am, of course, pleased that Vienna was able to prevail and that Austria can represent itself again next year. We will have a great May together; I am convinced of that.” 

Norbert Kettner, Vienna Tourism Director, had the following to say:

“Vienna and the Eurovision Song Contest are a perfect match: the cosmopolitan capital of music and the world’s largest music show. Vienna and Europe will be United by Music again in 2026. We look forward to the proven partnership with ORF and EBU and are working with great energy to build on the great success of 2015 next year. Vienna offers ideal conditions for this: over 80,000 hotel beds, excellent connections by plane and train, and a proven event infrastructure. This gives ORF the freedom to focus entirely on what matters – an unforgettable show.”

Let us know what you think about the Austria and the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest – either in the comments below or on our FACEBOOK, BLUESKY, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK pages.

The Eurovision Community, which Eurovision Ireland are a part of, celebrates diversity through music. Please keep your comments respectful. We will not tolerate racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, body-shaming or any other derogatory or hostile language.

Author: Richard Taylor

Source: EBU & YouTube/EBU