Vienna has been selected as the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, with the final set for 16 May at the Wiener Stadthalle, Austria's largest indoor arena. The announcement was made by Austria's public broadcaster ORF on Wednesday, following the country's victory in this year's competition.
Austria's entry JJ, real name Johannes Pietsch, won the 2025 contest in Basel, Switzerland, with his song Wasted Love, a blend of techno and operatic vocals. The 24-year-old's win secured Austria's right to host the 70th edition of the event. Vienna previously hosted Eurovision in 1967 and 2015, beating Innsbruck in the bidding process.
The semi-finals will take place on 12 and 14 May 2026. The Wiener Stadthalle, which opened in 1958 and seats 16,000 in its main hall, also hosted the contest in 2015 after Conchita Wurst's victory. That year, Vienna installed traffic lights featuring same-sex and heterosexual couples, which were later made permanent due to popularity.
Eurovision has drawn controversy in recent years. Pro-Palestinian protests occurred in Basel in May after Israel's participation despite the Gaza war. JJ initially called for Israel's exclusion from 2026, sparking criticism in Austria, but later apologised, saying his comments were misinterpreted. Austria's far-right Freedom Party has labelled the event a 'queer, leftwing, woke spectacle' and criticised the costs.
Vienna's bid emphasised its experience with large events, accommodation capacity, transport links, and cosmopolitan character. The city is known for classical music and baroque architecture but is also home to 2 million people. The 2025 contest reached about 166 million viewers in 37 countries, with a record 60% of viewers aged 15-24.
