Bulgarian National Television (BNT) has officially commenced the host city selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest 2027. Following Dara’s victory in Eurovision 2026, the broadcaster has held working meetings with the mayors of Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and Burgas, all of whom have expressed interest in hosting the prestigious event. BNT has outlined the stringent requirements and technical specifications for potential host cities.
Milena Milotinova, Director General of BNT, emphasised the immense scale of the Eurovision Song Contest and its significant long-term economic benefits for the host country. She highlighted that Eurovision 2026, hosted by Austria, achieved record-breaking viewing figures, more than doubling the average audience share and reaching nearly 55% among young people under 24. Official Eurovision content generated over 2.75 billion views across digital platforms from January to May 2026, with the host country experiencing its highest-ever Eurovision audience.
Milotinova also noted the substantial tourism impact, citing that Vienna, the host city for Eurovision 2026, welcomed nearly 320,000 visitors from 75 countries. Almost 100,000 people attended concerts, rehearsals, and live broadcasts, with an additional 219,000 visitors participating in city-wide Eurovision-related events.
The BNT Director General stressed that hosting Eurovision is a monumental undertaking that requires close collaboration. She expressed gratitude for the Bulgarian government’s swift commitment to support the country’s hosting preparations, affirming that BNT will work closely with state institutions and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) throughout the process.
Milena Milotinova (BNT General Director) says:
BNT is the host television of this grand event, which is one of the largest live music events in the world. What did Eurovision 2026 do – twice the average viewership – 42% up, nearly 55% up among young people under the age of 24. Viewership of 50% in many of the countries broadcasting Eurovision, as in certain countries, for example Finland, this viewership is 92%, in Sweden – 85%. This shows the scale of the event, not only on air, but also on social networks and the Internet – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. The official Eurovision content there has generated over 2 billion and 750 million views throughout the entire season – from January to May 2026. The host – Austria reports the highest audience in the history of the contest with over 4.4 million viewers. The Eurovision Song Contest TikTok account has surpassed 4 million followers and 870 million views. Instagram generated over 1 billion views for the first time with this Eurovision.
Milena Milotinova (BNT Director General) adds:
The host city of Eurovision has a key role, but also a key responsibility. Host cities in Eurovision are not alone in principle, just as the host television is not alone. We have the full support of the EBU, Eurovision and the Bulgarian government. The host television makes the decisions, including for the host city, but in partnership with the EBU. These decisions are made after a detailed examination of the submitted applications and after an on-site visit to the candidates. The on-site visits are by representatives of the EBU and the host television.
The meetings with the interested cities – Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and Burgas – mark a crucial step in preparing for Eurovision 2027. BNT, as the host broadcaster, will make decisions, including the selection of the host city, in partnership with the EBU, following a detailed assessment of all submitted bids and on-site visits to candidate cities.
