ESC 2026: Innsbruck and Vienna fight for the song contest!

ESC 2026: Innsbruck and Vienna fight for the song contest!

Wien, Österreich - On July 14, 2025, it became known that the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) will take place in Austria again in 2026 after eleven years. The ORF (Austrian Radio) has taken up in -depth negotiations with the two applicant cities Innsbruck and Vienna, which submitted their applications on time. Initial tours of the possible venues in the Olympiaworld Innsbruck and the Wiener Stadthalle have already been held. ORF general director Roland Weißmann described the applications as exciting and promising, while Michael Krön, Executive producer of the ESC 2026, thanked the project teams of both cities for their creative ideas.

The decision as to which city will host ESC 2026 is to be announced in the second half of 2025. The ORF has started to make the necessary preparations for this large event, which not only represents a cultural highlight, but also could bring essential economic impulses for the region.

Vienna's application and strengthen

Vienna, represented by Mayor Michael Ludwig, officially submitted his application on July 3, 2025. The city emphasizes its experience in organizing large events and its high accommodation capacity. The transport connection is also a central point that is highlighted positively, since Vienna is considered the best -connected city in Europe. The main station can be reached directly from 195 locations in 65 countries by 72 airlines. The public transport infrastructure is impressive and comprises over 1,000 kilometers of connections, which enables guests to travel.

The existing infrastructure also means that no new construction projects are necessary, which Vienna qualifies as an environmentally conscious choice for the ESC 2026. In 2015, when Vienna recently hosted the song contest, 79 % of the rapporteurs were evaluated as "better" or "much better" than in previous years. At that time, 170 million viewers worldwide followed the event, which was significantly benefited from the city's image.

meaning for the economy

The Eurovision Song Contest not only brings high costs, but also enormous economic benefits. The event acts as a significant economic factor that generates millions of income for gastronomy, tourism and numerous other areas. ORF General Director Roland Weißmann and Minister of Culture Andreas Babler (SPÖ) underlined that the preparations for the event have already started and discussions about the organization and financing of the event.

After the successful implementation of the ESC 2015 and the positive experiences that both the participants and the spectators have had, the return of the competition to Austria is another sign of the potential of the city of Vienna to manage international big events professionally.

For interested parties and fans of the Eurovision Song Contest, it now has to be seen which city will win the race for the orientation. The conversations between ORF, Innsbruck and Vienna are promising and set the course for an unforgettable event in 2026.