Crash, boom bang! The Eurovision 2026 host broadcaster, ORF, has officially moved into the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, today. The countdown to the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 has kicked off….
ORF’s Michael Kron (Eurovision 2026 Executive Producer) and Thomas Waldner (Wiener Stadthalle Director) cut the ribbon in order to officially handover the Wiener Stadthalle to the Austrian national broadcaster this morning.
The Eurovision 2026 Accreditation has been set up and has officially opened today. Wiener Stadthalle’s Halle D will be the very first to be tackled for the construction and setting up of the stage. All the other halls will be worked on in due course. Safety will play a key role and a state of the art network has been implemented for this.
ORF’s official press release reads:
The general accreditation center opened early Monday morning, and shortly afterward, the first representatives from media, production, and the Eurovision Song Contest core team arrived. Immediately after the handover, the technical load-in began: the first truck with equipment arrived at the hall – the start of a major logistical operation.
Over the coming days and weeks, hundreds of transport vehicles will deliver a total of approximately 3,500 tons of material. Equipment being used includes 27 cameras and 8,500 LED spotlights. A total of 35 companies are involved in the setup, some of them working around the clock in shifts.
Michael Kron says:
We’ve been looking forward to this day for months. It’s another milestone on the way to the world’s biggest music event. From here, we want to inspire millions of people. Crucial now is the collaboration of many people and companies in a constructive and creative working environment in one location.
Thomas Waldner says:
We are proud to open our arena for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and for a celebration of diversity, emotions, and the unifying power of music. Together, we are creating the stage for an event that will resonate far beyond Vienna.
ORF’s press release continues to read:
The schedule for the coming weeks is ambitious: Technical load-in for all participating trades will continue at full speed in the next few days. A major stage opening is planned for the second half of April, and the first rehearsals will begin. At the end of April, a comprehensive security lockdown of the entire city hall complex will follow. From then on, everyone entering the city hall will have to go through airport-style security checks.
At the beginning of May, the delegations and their artists finally arrive in Vienna to prepare intensively for the nine public shows and the three major TV events – the two semi-finals on May 12th and 14th, and the grand final on May 16th.
