The race for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 host city is about to kick off in Austria, as the dust settles after the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. Several Austrian cities seem to be interested in welcoming the Eurovision bandwagon next year, with all its glam, glitz and glitter.
Austria was crowned the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 last Saturday when JJ stormed to victory with his entry ‘Wasted Love’.
Austria will have the grand honour of hosting the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, namely the 70th edition of the competition. Several cities have expressed their desire to host the competition next year.
Vienna’s Mayor Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) has been one of the first officials to express his desire to bring the competition to Vienna.
Michael Ludwig told APA:
Austria’s victory at the Eurovision Song Contest is a great moment for our country – and a wonderful opportunity for Vienna. In 2015, we impressively demonstrated that we can host major international events with professionalism, hospitality, and cultural appeal. Vienna is ready to be Europe’s stage again this time.
The City of Vienna is interested in applying to host Eurovision 2026. Vienna is vying to host the Eurovision Song Contest at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna. The venue successfully hosted the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest.
Vienna has the both the experience and infrastructure to host the event, having hosted the competition twice (1967, 2015). The city has a massive hotel room capacity, excellent public transport system and an international airport with numerous flight connections to most European cities and capitals. The Wiener Stadthalle can accomodate 16,000 spectators.
ORF is yet to open the Eurovision 2026 Host City Bidding race. Several cities have already expressed their desire to host Eurovision 2026: Graz, Innsbruck, Oberwart and Wells.
