Vienna to host Eurovision 2026
Entertainment News: Vienna will be the host country for the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, it was announced today.
Vienna has officially been chosen as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Known worldwide as a cultural and musical hub, Austria’s capital will welcome the competition for the third time, having previously staged the event in 1967 and again in 2015.
The landmark 70th Eurovision Song Contest will culminate with the Grand Final on Saturday 16 May 2026 at the Wiener Stadthalle, the country’s largest indoor arena. The two Semi-Finals are scheduled for Tuesday 12 May and Thursday 14 May.
With this announcement, Vienna now ranks alongside Copenhagen, Malmö and Stockholm as the fourth most frequent Eurovision host city. Only Dublin, London and Luxembourg City have hosted the Contest more often.
Austria secured hosting rights after JJ’s victory in Basel on 17 May 2025 with Wasted Love, which marked the nation’s third Eurovision win.
Vienna’s Eurovision legacy began in 1967 following Udo Jürgens’ 1966 triumph with Merci Chérie. Nearly 50 years later, the city hosted the 60th edition in 2015 after Conchita Wurst’s unforgettable 2014 victory with Rise Like A Phoenix. Now, Vienna is set to host again for Eurovision’s 70th anniversary edition.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Austrian broadcaster ORF selected Vienna following a competitive bidding process that assessed venue capacity, infrastructure, and the city’s ability to accommodate thousands of artists, delegations, fans, media and production crew from across the globe.
Alongside the televised shows, Vienna will stage a full week of celebrations, including the Eurovision Village, EuroClub and other fan events. Locations for these will be confirmed in the coming months.
Visitors can expect more than just Eurovision – Vienna offers a rich cultural experience, from its world-class orchestras and opera houses to its museums, galleries, vibrant dining scene and historic coffeehouse culture.
Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest said:
*“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 ORF, added:
“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.”
Vienna’s Mayor Michael Ludwig said:
*“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.”*
Vienna Tourism Director Norbert Kettner added:
“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.”
Details on participating broadcasters, ticket sales for nine live shows, and further event information will be announced later this year.
Words: Simon Baines
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