Eurovision News 
Preparations for the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 in Burgas are officially underway, with Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov emphasising that hosting the event marks the start of extensive work. During a recent meeting with reporters at the municipal headquarters, Mayor Nikolov highlighted the significant undertaking ahead for the Black Sea city.
Following Bulgaria’s historic victory at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with DARA, the city of Burgas was recently confirmed as the host city for the 71st edition of the competition in May 2027. The announcement came after a competitive bidding process that saw Burgas emerge as the chosen city over other contenders, including the capital Sofia.
Mayor Dimitar Nikolov underscored the monumental task ahead, stating that the preparations are not the finish line but rather the beginning of a huge amount of work that has already commenced. This sentiment was echoed by BNT Director General Milena Milotinova, who recently visited the Arena Burgas, the confirmed venue for the contest.
During her visit, Milena Milotinova expressed satisfaction with the progress, noting that machinery is already at work levelling the ground around the arena where essential equipment and eight mobile TV stations will be set up. These stations are crucial for BNT, as the host broadcaster, to produce the international show.
Milena Milotinova says:
The goal is to see the hall where the show will be held and where BNT will station a lot of equipment. To see the adjacent terrain, where these 8 mobile television stations will be stationed, which BNT, as the host television and producer of the show, will have to rent. To see the spaces. I am extremely pleased with what I see, because I see that outside the machines are already working on leveling the terrain, where some of the equipment will be stationed, for which congratulations. We see that work is being done within the expected deadlines, not to mention faster.
Mayor Nikolov also confirmed that renovation work on the surrounding areas, initially planned for September, began ahead of schedule last week to allow for greater flexibility.
Mayor of Burgas says:
In the tender proposal, we described that the repair work on the adjacent terrain would begin in early September. In order to save enough time, we started last week, this will give us more freedom to react in a timely manner. Here today we are also observing how the scene itself will develop, I am convinced that we will cope, because my team is already motivated, mobilized and there is no need to delay.
Circa 1,000 journalists are expected to land in Burgas for Eurovision 2027 come May, hence both the City of Burgas and BNT took time today to inspect the potential areas for the Media Centre and the links between the Show Production Area and the Press Centre.
BNT Director General says:
This concentration of media in Burgas is a huge opportunity to show our country as it really is – beautiful, welcoming and a country of talent.
BTA’s press release reads:
BNT and Burgas Municipality are to announce the necessary administrative procedures and public procurement procedures. The first key task is the design of the stage, around which the concept of the show will be developed. The allocation of seats for spectators will become clear after that. Milotinova noted that the procedures are not short, but preparations are currently proceeding on schedule. She added that BNT had been working on preparations since Bulgaria’s victory in Vienna on May 17.
Both Nikolov and Milotinova stressed that Eurovision should be felt not only in the venue where the semi-finals and final will take place, but throughout Burgas and the wider region. The Mayor expects the hosting to have a positive impact on business and tourism as well. He said he had already spoken with major and mid-sized hotel chains and representatives of different types of accommodation, stressing that unjustified price increases must be avoided, as they could harm the image of Burgas and Bulgaria. “Our reputation is extremely important,” Nikolov said.
The teams are currently assessing the precise positioning of the stage within Arena Burgas, a modern 15,000-capacity venue opened in 2023. Both Mayor Nikolov and Director General Milotinova expressed confidence in their motivated teams, affirming their commitment to delivering an unforgettable Eurovision experience. The semi-finals are scheduled for May 11 and 13, with the Grand Final on May 15, 2027.
