ERR, the Estonian national broadcaaster has announced that the Saku Suurhall in Tallinn will be the venue for the forthcoming 2016 Estonian Eurovision national final, Eesti Laul.

The Saku Suurhall hosted the 2002 Eurovision Song Contest after Tanel Padar and Dave Benton brought the Eurovision trophy to Estonian soil in 2001 with their entry Everybody.

Eesti Laul 2016 will consist of 3 shows scheduled to be held on 13, 20 February (semifinal 1 and 2) and 5 March (the grand final).

A total of 20 acts will battle in the 2 semifinals for a place in the grand final.  5 acts from each semifinal will proceed to the grand final.  A total of 10 acts will battle for the goldent ticket to Stockholm in the grand final on 5 March. The 2016 Estonian Eurovision entry and act will be selected via 50/50 televoting-jury deliberation.

Tickets for the grand final will go on sale on 10 November.

Elina Born and Stig Rästa represented Estonia at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest with their entry Goodbye to yesterday.

Estonia debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 and has won the event once in 2001 with Dave Benton and Tanel Padar’s Everybody.

The 2016 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 10, 12 and 14 May at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.

Stay tuned to ESCToday for the latest news on Eesti Laul 2016, Estonia and the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.