ESC 2026: Austria in the competition between cities – who has the best chances?

ESC 2026: Austria in the competition between cities – who has the best chances?

On May 21, 2025, Austria published ambitious plans to host the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in 2026. In this context, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) published a satirical post that poked fun at some of the candidate cities. This criticism sparked mixed reactions, with many fans hoping for the exciting opportunity to see the competition in their city. At an upcoming meeting, the requirements placed on the ORF, the host city and the event location will be specified.

Specific requirements were defined for the ESC 2015, which could also apply to the upcoming competition. This includes the exclusive availability of the location at least six weeks before the final and a capacity of at least 10,000 people. Furthermore, a minimum room height of around 15 meters and special backstage areas for artists and journalists are necessary.

Candidate cities at a glance

The most prominent cities that are in the running to host the ESC 2026 are:

• Wien: Die Hauptstadt hat bereits Erfahrung durch die Austragung des ESC 2015 und bietet mit der Stadthalle eine Location für bis zu 16.000 Besucher. Bürgermeister Michael Ludwig hebt die Professionalität und Gastfreundschaft Wiens hervor.
• Innsbruck: Hier wird das Tivoli Stadion sowie die Olympiaworld als mögliche Austragungsorte vorgeschlagen. Bürgermeister Johannes Anzengruber sieht große Chancen für die Tiroler Stadt, die Olympiaworld hat Platz für bis zu 12.000 Personen.
• Graz: Die Stadthalle am Messegelände wird als Austragungsstätte mit Platz für bis zu 14.500 Personen ins Spiel gebracht. Bürgermeisterin Elke Kahr betont die Notwendigkeit eines Konsenses für die Bewerbung.
• Premstätten: Die Davis-Cup-Halle mit einer Kapazität von 18.000 Stehplätzen könnte eine interessante Option sein. Betreiber Klaus Leutgeb plant ein großes Public Viewing und eine Zusammenarbeit mit der Messe Graz.
• Wels und Linz: Diese beiden Städte planen eine gemeinsame Bewerbung, unterstützt von der Landesspitze. Wels denkt über den Bau einer neuen Messehalle für bis zu 5.700 Besucher nach.
• Oberwart: Bürgermeister Georg Rosner sieht die Voraussetzungen für die Austragung in der Burgenland-Halle, die für 6.000 Personen ausgelegt ist, gegeben.
• Niederösterreich: Landeshauptfrau Johanna Mikl-Leitner bringt den Flughafen Wien als mögliche Location ins Spiel, während St. Pölten ebenfalls an einer Bewerbung arbeitet, jedoch mit begrenzten Kapazitäten.

However, some applications were withdrawn. The Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt and the city of Salzburg have stopped their candidacies due to financial and infrastructural concerns.

Eurovision Song Contest: A momentous event

The Eurovision Song Contest has been an annual highlight in the international music calendar since its inception in 1956 and is organized by the European Broadcasting Union. It is considered one of the most respected competitions in the music scene and has enormous audience interest around the world. 52 countries have taken part at least once so far, with Germany recording the most participations and Ireland and Sweden having the most wins with seven title triumphs each Wikipedia reported.

The competition has evolved over the years and now offers not only an impressive music format, but also cultural performances from the host country. Entering the world of the ESC often brings an enormous boost to the careers of the participating artists. For many, the contest remains an important platform to present themselves internationally and win new fans.

It remains to be seen which city will ultimately be awarded the contract to host the ESC 2026. But as preparations progress, the anticipation of one of the world's biggest music events is already palpable.