Which city will host Eurovision 2026 in Austria? Candidates, criteria and predictions
After the victory of JJ in Basel, Switzerland, at around 1am on Sunday 18 May, the question now arises as to whether Austria will host Eurovision 2026. Hosting such an event in less than a year is a race against time that has already begun! This will be the third time that the country has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, after the editions of 1967 and 2015 in Vienna.
The choice of host city must meet very specific organisational and hosting criteria. This evening (24 hours after the Final), several cities have already expressed their wish to host the competition, or not, in 2026. Here's an overview of the possibilities.
What are the criteria for hosting Eurovision?
The choice of host city is based on a number of criteria: capacity, accessibility and the experience offered to visitors and delegations alike.
Capacity The host city must have a large concert hall or stadium, covered to prevent bad weather from disrupting the show, with a capacity of at least 10,000 spectators and sufficient space for the media, rehearsals and other preparations. For the last few editions of the show, the capacity was between 13,000 and 17,000 spectators. The St. Jakobshalle in Basel was designed for 12,400 spectators, but in reality its capacity was halved by the layout of the stage and the green room, which led to disappointment and frustration among the public when buying tickets.
The venue must also have good acoustics (open stadiums don't do the trick, for example) and, above all, it must be available on the scheduled dates. It's always tricky to tell a major artist that they have to cancel their tour to make room for Eurovision. The event needs a venue available for just over a month, from the construction of the stage to dismantling the day after the final.
L’accessibility The city must be easily accessible by air, rail and/or road. Ideally, organisers expect an international airport to be nearby and the city to have a good public transport network. This is a prerequisite for welcoming delegations and visitors.
L’experience in event organisation and visitor experienceA city with experience of hosting international events (concerts, conferences, sporting events) has the infrastructure and expertise to manage an event like Eurovision. But there's more to it than that. Eurovision Village, Euroclub, entertainment in the cities, participation of "Eurovision Friendly »" retailers, the ability to organise Viewing Parties, support for local tourism players - all these aspects are scrutinised in the application file that will be submitted to the EBU.
Eurovision 2026 host cities bidding to host Eurovision 2026
This evening, several towns have already made their intentions known.
Klagenfurt has announced that it will not be bidding, as the city does not have sufficient infrastructure to host the event. The same is true of Salzburg, which believes that the Salzburg Arena will be too small and will not be available in May.
Three cities are currently considering hosting Eurovision 2026
- Graz in southern Austria,
- Innsbruck, which will be submitting an application,
- Vienna has already hosted the competition twice.
Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each Eurovision candidate host city
Vienna was the natural and most solid candidate, the choice of comfort for the organisers: a capital city, a dense transport network, a 16,000-seat multi-purpose hall, a nearby international airport and a well-developed hotel capacity (around 74,000 beds in 410 hotels). On the other hand, hosting the competition three times in a row might tempt the organisers to change.
Graz, with its Graz Messe Arena, is a credible outsider. The city in the south of Austria may seem less accessible than the capital, but it could be a surprise. The city of Linz also comes to mind, with its TipsArena Linz. Perhaps some plan Bs?
Salzbourg est aussi une bonne candidate avec un aéroport disposant d’une bonne desserte Européenne mais là encore, la capacité limitée de 6700 places de la Salzburgarena ne nous permet pas de penser que cette solution soit crédible.
Then there's Innsbruck, with its 10,000-seat Olympiahalle Innsbruck, which mainly hosts sporting events.
When will the host city be announced?
Generally, host city bids are worked on before the Final, when the countries start to "feel » what's going to happen", and submitted before the summer. It is reasonable to expect a shortlist at the end of July and an announcement of the Eurovision 2026 host city at the end of August.
Conclusion
After reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of the main candidate cities, everything points to Vienna as the favourite to host Eurovision 2026. It has modern infrastructure, top-notch hotel capacity and real experience in organising major events, including Eurovision just 10 years ago. Graz and Innsbruck remain serious outsiders, with rather solid bids and a real desire to stand out from the crowd.
The final choice will also depend on the determination of the local broadcaster and the EBU to offer fans and delegations a new experience. But whichever city is chosen, the host country will do everything in its power to make this edition a unique event!
