Pack your bags we’re off to Liverpool for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest ! The British national broadcaster, BBC, has unveiled the 2023 Eurovision host city, venue and dates.

The EBU and the British national broadcaster, BBC,  have announced today that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Liverpool. Eurovision fans can now plan their trips to England and book their flights and accomodation!

The venue and the dates

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held at the M&S Arena on the 9, 11 and 13 May in Liverpool.

The BBC official statement reads:

Following interest from 20 cities across all four Nations of the UK, seven cities were initially shortlisted to host the competition next year. It was announced last week that two cities remained in the running to host the Song Contest: Glasgow and Liverpool.

Both cities provided incredibly strong bids, led by their respective local authorities and including community and stakeholder support from within their cities and beyond. Each city proposed to reflect Ukrainian culture and music in their own unique way.

A detailed assessment of the two cities has resulted the BBC and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) agreeing that that Liverpool will be the host city for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

Liverpool has a fantastic venue, a beautiful backdrop of a city with a rich history of music, and a cultural offer that puts Ukraine at the heart of next year’s Song Contest.

The team at the Liverpool City Council and the Liverpool City Region will be fantastic partners for the BBC in delivering the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest

Martin Osterdahl (Eurovision Song Contest Executive Producer/ EBU) says:

Liverpool is the ideal place to host the 67th Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine.

The city is synonymous with music and Liverpool Arena exceeds all the requirements needed to stage a global event of this scale.

We have been very impressed with the passion the city has shown in embracing the Contest and their inclusive ideas for placing last year’s winners, Ukraine, front and centre when thousands of fans visit next May. 

Tim Davie (BBC Director General) says:

Congratulations to Liverpool. They will be an amazing host for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Liverpool is such an exciting, warm and vibrant city. It’s the undisputed capital of pop music and is celebrating the 65th anniversary of its twinning with the Ukrainian city of Odesa.

I know the people of Liverpool will welcome Europe – and the rest of the world – with open arms, and in partnership we will create something truly special.

This will be the first Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the UK in 25 years and, as we work with our Host Broadcaster, the BBC, to celebrate Ukraine’s victory, this unique production promises to be a very special one indeed.

Noel Curran (EBU General Director) says:

This will be the first Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the UK in 25 years and, as we work with our Host Broadcaster, the BBC, to celebrate Ukraine’s victory, this unique production promises to be a very special one indeed.

Phil Harrold (Chair of the BBC’s Host City Selection Committee) says:

We had incredible bids from across the UK. To win under such tough competition shows just how strong Liverpool’s bid is. I want to thank all the cities that bid to host the Song Contest, on behalf of Ukraine. While there could only be one host, the quality of the bids shows just how much the UK has to offer.

Kate Phillips (BBC’s Director Unscripted Content) says:

We are delighted to be working with Liverpool to host the Eurovision Song Contest next year, on behalf of Ukraine. Liverpool, and the BBC, will do everything to ensure that this special occasion, fully reflects Ukrainian culture, music and communities.

We will absolutely get this right. I’m also thrilled that both Semi-Finals and the Grand Final will be shown to UK audiences live on BBC One.

Mykola Chernotytskyi (Head of the Managing Board of UA:PBC) says:

It is symbolic that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Liverpool, a twin city of Odesa. The organisation of a contest of this level sets super demanding requirements.

I am confident that the city recognised as the capital of pop music will meet them in the best way and will deliver the celebration of music that will amaze both delegations and fans of Eurovision.

The M&S Bank Arena  can accomodate circa 11,000 spectators. Liverpool is known as the Unesco City of Music and has much to offer when it comes to culture, music, entertainment,  history, and heritage. Liverpool is served by the Liverpool Jonhn Lennon Airport which has many international flight connections.

Liverpool the cradle of music

Liverpool is the cradle and home of music. The city’s music culture has put it on the world map, namely thanks to the iconic British all boy group The Beatles who went on to become one of Britain’s most sought after world class acts.

Liverpool can boast of its rich musical heritage as manyBritish acts have hailed from this beautiful city: Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark, The Mighty WAH!, Echo & The Bunnymen, Dead or Alive, The Lightning Seeds, Space, Mel C, Atomic Kitten etc.

The port city has gained much name and recognition thanks to its vibrant music scene, restaurants, nightlife, restaurants, clubs and entertainment.

The UK hosts the competition for the nineth time

The United Kingdom will have the honour of welcoming the Eurovision bandwagon with all its glitzy and glamourous razmatazz for the nineth time in Eurovision history, after having succesfully hosted the event in London(1960, 1963, 1968, 1977), Birmingham (1998), Edinburgh (1972), Brighton (1974) and Harrogate (1982).

Liverpool is honoured to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest for the very first time in ESC history.

Source: BBC/EBU
Photo credit: Visit Liverpool