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Austria will once again take centre stage at Eurovision, as ORF confirmed this morning that the 2026 contest will be held in Vienna.
This year’s competition carries special significance as the 70th edition of Eurovision, coming to Austria after JJ’s victory in Basel earlier this year, which gave his country its third Eurovision Song Contest win.
The Grand Final will be held on Saturday, May 16, at the Wiener Stadthalle, Austria’s largest indoor arena, with Semi-Finals earlier the same week on Tuesday, May 12, and Thursday, May 14.
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.
It will also mark the third time the country has hosted the event: first in 1967, when Udo Jürgens’ Merci Chérie brought the show to Vienna, and again in 2015, when Conchita Wurst’s unforgettable Rise Like a Phoenix victory led to another spectacular contest in the capital.
The decision came down to two finalists, Vienna and Innsbruck, both of which submitted bids earlier this summer.
The European Broadcasting Union and ORF assessed each proposal on strict criteria, including venue size, availability for up to eight weeks of preparations, hotel capacity for thousands of fans and delegates, and press facilities able to accommodate 1,500 journalists.
In the end, Vienna was selected as the city best equipped to host Eurovision 2026.
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.’
Innsbruck had campaigned with Olympia Halle under the banner ‘Together On Top,’ while Vienna promoted its bid with Wiener Stadthalle and the line ‘Europe, Shall We Dance?’
As always, the week will consist of two semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, followed by the Grand Final on Saturday at 21:00 CET.
With the host city now confirmed, preparations for the 70th edition of Eurovision will accelerate, from stage design and ticketing to the programme of side events that will transform Vienna into Europe’s music capital next spring.
The countdown has officially begun: in May 2026, the eyes of Europe will be on Vienna.
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