Innsbruck fights for the ESC: is the music highlight 2026?

Innsbruck fights for the ESC: is the music highlight 2026?

Innsbruck, Österreich - Innsbruck has officially applied as the venue for the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2026. Mayor Johannes Anzengruber from the party "Yes - now Innsbruck" emphasized during a press conference that not everything had to take place in Vienna, and that Austria was larger than the capital. The Olympic Hall, which can offer up to 12,000 spectators, plays a central role in this application. Anzengruber has already initiated the exchange with the tourism association and those responsible for the Olympic Hall in order to discuss the necessary steps for the application. Kleine Zeitung reports that other cities also discuss the coveted ESC.

The city of Oberwart in Burgenland and Wels are also interested in one orientation. Mayor Georg Rosner von Oberwart sees the prerequisites for a successful application, but admits that the availability of sufficient quarters could be a handicap. To alleviate this problem, the neighboring towns of Stegersbach and Bad Tatzmannsdorf could offer accommodation.

competition from Wels and Klagenfurt

The city of Wels also plans to apply for the ESC. Mayor Andreas Rabl of the FPÖ announced the construction of a new exhibition hall, which is estimated at 30 million euros and is to be completed in March 2026. This new hall will have more than 10,000 square meters of area and is located in the city center, where it is well connected to public transport. Klagenfurt, on the other hand, excludes an application; Here the Wörthersee Stadion does not meet the requirements, whereby the necessary adaptations would be too expensive.

The Olympiahalle: a multifunctional event center

The Olympichalle in Innsbruck presents itself as a modern and multifunctional event location. Equipped with technical and infrastructural refinements, it offers optimal conditions for a variety of events-from ice hockey and large concerts to congresses and TV shows. Olympiaworld emphasizes that the hall also offers special VIP locations for guests and business customers who are looking for a first-class ambience for company events and galas.

In summary, the efforts of various cities in Austria can be clearly seen to position themselves as a possible venue for the ESC 2026. This is not only a cultural highlight, but also an important economic engine, as past experience shows. In the event of a successful application, Innsbruck, together with Oberwart and Wels, could come to the center of one of the largest European music events.

For more information about the business model of the ESC and its financing, please follow the link here: Manager Magazin .