How many countries and cities have hosted Eurovision?

The Eurovision Song Contest was born in 1956 and this year we are heading to Malmo, Sweden for the 68th edition of the competition. How many countries have hosted our favorite television shows? How many countries have never hosted the event? Let’s delve into our history books and find out….

The Eurovision Song Contest, a vibrant celebration of music and cultural exchange, has captivated audiences for over 60 years. But did you know the contest itself travels across Europe? That’s right, each year, the winning country gets the prestigious honor of hosting the following year’s event, transforming their nation into a Eurovision wonderland!

How many countries have hosted Eurovision?

Since its debut in Lugano, Switzerland, in 1956, Eurovision has seen a total of 27 countries take center stage as hosts. From the charming lakeside town of Lugano to the upcoming grand spectacle in Malmö, Sweden, in May 2024, Eurovision has brought its glitz and glamour to cities big and small.

The United Kingdom holds the record for most hosting gigs, having staged the contest a magnificent nine times! Ireland and Sweden follow closely behind with seven contests hosted (Malmo 2024 will be the 7th contest for Sweden).

Other Eurovision veterans include Netherlands (5 times), Luxembourg (4 times), and Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, and Norway (all with 3 contests hosted). Whilst Switzerland, Ukraine and Austria have hosted the competition twice.

Greece, Portugal, Russia, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia, Portugal, Serbia, Turkey, Finland, Yugoslavia, Belgium have all hosted the event once.

The tradition of the winning country hosting the competition the following year started in 1958 when the Netherlands hosted the contest having won the previous year.

Which cities have hosted the contest most times?

Notably Ireland’s capital city Dublin holds the record of hosting the event a whopping 6 times ( 1971, 1981, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1997) followed by London  ( 1960, 1963, 1968, 1977) and Luxembourg City ( 1962,1966, 1973, 1984) who have hosted the contest four times . In third place we have Copenhagen (1964, 2001, 2014), Malmo (1992, 2013, 2024), Stockholm ( 1975, 2000, 2016) – all have hosted the contest thrice.

The host city is meticulously chosen, boasting a venue large enough to accommodate the thousands of fans and delegations, and often showcasing the country’s unique culture and spirit.

Which countries have stepped in to host the contest for another country?

The United Kingdom and the BBC have stepped in to host the competition on behalf of another country five times: 1960, 1963, 1972, 1974 and 2023. Whilst the Netherlands stepped in 1980 when Israel declined to host the contest for a second consecutive year. In 1957 Germany stepped in to host the event as Switzerland declined to host the event for a second consecutive year.

We should also note that the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest was cancelled in Rotterdam due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Here’s a delightful dive into the history of Eurovision host countries, with a table detailing the year, city, and host country:

Eurovision Song Contest Host Countries and cities (1956-2024)

Which countries have never hosted the competition?

A total of 24 countries who have participated in the competition have never hosted the contest, including Morocco which only graced the event once in 1980 and has not returned since. Monaco won the contest in 1971 but decline to host the event the following year and the United Kingdom stepped in to host the contest.

Below you can find the list of countries which have never hosted the contest (none of them have the contest with the exception of Monaco):

1. Australia
2. Andorra
3. Armenia
4. Belarus
5. Bosnia and Herzegovina
6. Bulgaria
7. Croatia
8. Cyprus
9. Czechia
10. Georgia
11. Hungary
12. Iceland
13. Lithuania
14. Malta
15. Moldova
16. Monaco (won in 1971 but didn’t host the contest the following year)
17. Montenegro
18. Morocco
19. North Macedonia
20. Poland
21. Romania
22. San Marino
23. Slovakia
24. Slovenia

Will we see a new country win the contest in Malmo come May and the Eurovision bandwagon travelling to a new land? Only time will tell…

Source: ESCToday/ eurovision.tv
Photo credit: EBU