Vienna wants to align ESC 2026: A race for cities begins!

Vienna wants to align ESC 2026: A race for cities begins!

Wien, Österreich - After the victory in Austria at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest On May 18, 2025, the search for a venue for the next event in 2026. Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) has already announced that the federal capital will be trying to perform. Ludwig congratulated the song contest winner JJ and emphasized his connection to the city because he studied Vienna at the music and art university. He described the victory as the "big moment for our country" and as a "wonderful opportunity for Vienna".

Vienna brings a rich experience with regard to the execution of the Eurovision Song Contest after the city organized the competition in 2015 after the victory of Conchita Wurst. In addition to Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Oberwart and Wels have also registered as possible applicant cities. Innsbruck has already signaled interest in an application, while the selection of the event location will be intensified in the coming days. Important factors for the selection are proximity to an airport and the size of the event hall.

exchange of the event locations

The Wiener Stadthalle has the greatest capacity and excellent logistical connection with 16,000 places. Innsbruck's Olympiahalle offers a maximum of 10,000 places, but has fewer accommodation options. Wels and Oberwart have smaller halls and limited accommodations with 7,000 or 5,000 places. ORF program director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz also referred to the challenges of the application process, which could be particularly competitive due to the great demand.

Eurovision 2026 is expected to take place in Austria after JJ won the competition. The exact data has not yet been announced, but the Eurovision week includes three shows: The first semi-finals will take place on a Tuesday, the second semi-finals will take place on a Thursday and the grand finale on a Saturday. Possible dates for these shows are from April 28 to May 16, 2026.

special conditions and challenges

The data could, however, be influenced by several events, such as the semi -finals of the UEFA Champions League and other sporting competitions. According to Eurovision World, seven countries have already expressed interest in participating. The membership institutions of the European Radio Union (EBU) have to submit their applications by mid -October 2025, while the ticket sales are expected towards the end of 2025.

Another highlight will be the Eurovision Village, which acts as an official festival site during the competition and offers live appearances and DJs. The EuroClub will act as an event location for special parties and official after parties by the participants. The Eurovision Song Contest, which has existed since 1956 and is organized annually by EBU, has developed from a unique event to a multi -day event with semi -finals. He enjoys an enormous number of spectators that amounts to several hundred million annually and has funded numerous international careers such as those of ABBA and Celine Dion.

The competition is not only known for its musical diversity, but also has a significant cultural charisma and is seen as an important event in many countries. With the victory of JJ and the impending discovery of Eurovision 2026 in Austria, the next big challenge is in front of the organizers.