The EBU and RTP the 2018 Eurovision host broadcaster have confirmed the date for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest Host Insignia Handover ceremony.

The 2017 Eurovision host city, Kyiv, will officially hand the baton to the 2018 Eurovision host city Lisbon on Monday 29 January 2018 in a special ceremony scheduled to be held in Lisbon.

A special delegation from the 2017 Eurovision host city Kyiv will travel to Lisbon for the occasion. Mr. Vitali Klitschko (the Mayor of Kyiv) will officially hand the special Eurovison Insignia Key to Mr. Fernando Medina (the Mayor of Lisbon), thus marking the official handover from last year’s host city to the next.

Following the Official Host Insignia Handover Ceremony, RTP will hold the 2018 Eurovision Semi-final Allocation Draw in order to distribute and divide the 36 semi-finalist countries in one of the two semi-finals.

A grand ceremony will be organized for the occasion where Lisbon will officially take over from Kyiv as the Eurovision host city. The ceremony will be carried out in the presence of Mr. Jon Ola Sand (EBU’s executive supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest).

What we know so far

• The 2018 Eurovision theme art, logo and slogan
• The 2018 Participants List (42 countries will compete in Lisbon)
• The Venue for the 2018 Eurovision Village
• Eurovision 2018 Ticket Sales will kick off in November
• The Blue Carpet location in Lisbon
• The 2018 Euroclub will be located on the seafront
• Host Insignia Handover Ceremony  date set on 29 January
• Eurovision Stage Design and Hosts Announcement in January
• Semi-final Allocation Draw date set on 29 January

What is yet to come

The 2018 Eurovision host broadcaster is yet to reveal many other anecdotes and details regarding the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest :

• The 2018 Eurovision hosts
• The venue for the 2018 Opening Ceremony/Welcome Reception
• The venue for the 2018 Euroclub
• The 2018 Eurovision Stage
• Volunteer recruitment
• Ticket sales dates/details
• The venue for the 2018 Eurovision Press Centre
• The Eurovillage social programme
• The Euroclub social programme
• Eurovision 2018 side events

Eurovision 2018 provisional timeline

• 29/01/2018 – Eurovision 2018 Host Insignia Handover ceremony
• 29/01/2018 – Eurovision 2018 semi-final allocation draw
• January 2018 – Eurovision 2018 hosts announcement
• January 2018 – Eurovision 2018 stage design presentation
• 12/03/2018 – Heads of Delegation Meeting in Lisbon (TBC) – (provisional date)
  
• 01/04/2018 – RTP moves into Altice Arena – stage construction begins
• 29/04/2018 – Rehearsals begin (TBC) – (provisional date)
  
• 04/05/2018 – Eurovision Village opening
• 06/05/2018 – Blue Carpet ceremony at MAAT – (provisional date)
• 06/05/2018 – Welcome reception/Opening ceremony (TBC) – (provisional date)
  
• 07/05/2018 – Semi-final 1 – Jury show
• 08/05/2018 – Semi-final 1 – Family show
• 08/05/2018 – Semi-final 1 – Live broadcast
  
• 09/05/2018 – Semi-final 2 – Jury show
• 10/05/2018 – Semi-final 2 – Family show
• 10/05/2018 – Semi-final 2 – Live broadcast
  
• 11/05/2018 – Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final – Jury final
• 12/05/2018 – Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final – Family show
• 12/05/2018 – Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final – Live broadcast

The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 8, 10 and 12 May at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal.