In 2015 Vienna had Eurovision fans “Building Bridges.” And in 2026 the Viennese will welcome us once more under the banner of “United by Music.” That’s after Austria’s state broadcaster ORF confirmed Vienna as host city of Eurovision 2026.
The 70th edition of the song contest will take place inside Wiener Stadthalle, which hosted ten years ago when Måns Zelmerlöw won for Sweden.
The first semi-final will take place on May 12, with the second semi-final on May 14 and the grand final on May 16.
Vienna named host city of Eurovision 2026
Eurovision 2026 dates and host city confirmed (EBU PRESS RELEASE)
We are re-publishing the EBU’s press release in full below.
Austria’s capital Vienna has been selected by Host Broadcaster ORF and the EBU to host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in May 2026.
ORF will stage next year’s competition following JJ’s win in Basel on 17 May with “Wasted Love”, giving his country its third Eurovision Song Contest win.
The Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be held on Saturday 16 May at the Wiener Stadthalle, Austria’s largest indoor arena, with Semi-Finals earlier the same week on Tuesday 12 May and Thursday 14 May.
A whole week of activities will take place around the Contest in Vienna with more details of the location of the Eurovision Village, Euroclub and much more to be revealed in the coming weeks and months.
THIRD VISIT TO VIENNA
Vienna hosted the first Contest to be held in Austria in 1967 following Udo Jürgens’ win with “Merci Chérie” in 1966.
It also hosted the 60th Eurovision Song Contest in 2015, following Conchita Wurst’s victory in 2014, and will now host the 70th edition in 2026.
Austria’s capital was chosen to welcome delegations from participating public broadcasters following a competitive city bid process that examined facilities at the venue, local infrastructure and the ability to accommodate thousands of visiting delegations, crew, fans and journalists from around the world, amongst other criteria.
“HEART OF EUROPE”
Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest said: “The EBU is thrilled that Vienna has been selected as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
“Vienna’s reputation as one of the most musical cities in the world, and its location in the heart of Europe, makes it the perfect Host City for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest.
“The city’s exceptional Stadthalle was a great venue for the 60th Contest in 2015 and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming delegations, artists and fans alike back there next May as the world’s largest live music event celebrates 70 glorious years of being United by Music.
“Together with Host Broadcaster ORF and the city of Vienna we will create a spectacular celebration of music that will reverberate across the world.”
Roland Weißmann, Director General of Host Broadcaster ORF added: “After thorough examination and based on a unanimous jury assessment, ORF concluded that Vienna’s offer is not only the most attractive in terms of infrastructure and logistics but also economically. The Contest is a celebration for all of Austria, which we will all be proud of.”
ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE
Vienna’s Mayor Michael Ludwig is excited to welcome the world to the Austrian capital in 2026: “In Vienna, we can be proud that our city has been selected by the EBU and ORF as the most suitable Host City for one of the world’s largest events.
“We submitted a convincing overall package with enormous accommodation capacities, excellent infrastructure, and a lot of experience in hosting international events. Additionally, we placed great emphasis on offering numerous Eurovision Song Contest events in public spaces that can be visited free of charge.
“As the Mayor of Vienna, it is very important to me that cultural events are accessible to everyone, regardless of the size of their wallet. As the Mayor of Vienna, I am, of course, pleased that Vienna was able to prevail and that Austria can represent itself again next year. We will have a great May together; I am convinced of that.”
Vienna Tourism Director Norbert Kettner added: “Vienna and the Eurovision Song Contest are a perfect match: the cosmopolitan capital of music and the world’s largest music show. Vienna and Europe will be United by Music again in 2026. We look forward to the proven partnership with ORF and EBU and are working with great energy to build on the great success of 2015 next year. Vienna offers ideal conditions for this: over 80,000 hotel beds, excellent connections by plane and train, and a proven event infrastructure. This gives ORF the freedom to focus entirely on what matters – an unforgettable show.”
HOSTING BENEFITS
Recent Host Cities have all reported huge gains from welcoming the Eurovision Song Contest.
Liverpool (2023), Malmo (2024) and Basel (2025) received global promotion, hundreds of thousands of extra visitors, both during and following the event, and reported significant economic benefits.
