Vienna confirmed to host Eurovision 2026

Vienna has been confirmed as the host city for the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, Austria’s public broadcaster ORF and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced today.

The 70th edition of the competition will take place at the Wiener Stadthalle, Austria’s largest indoor arena, with the grand final set for May 16 and semi-finals on May 12 and 14.

Austria earned hosting rights after singer JJ — real name Johannes Pietsch — won this year’s contest in Basel, Switzerland, with his entry ‘Wasted Love’.

It was Austria’s third Eurovision victory, following wins in 1966 and 2014.

Eurovision director Martin Green praised Vienna’s “musical heritage” and central European location, noting that the Stadthalle had already proven itself as an “exceptional venue” when it hosted the contest’s 60th edition in 2015.

Vienna previously staged Eurovision in 1967 and 2015, following their wins, beating out Innsbruck this time to secure hosting duties.

The 2025 contest drew an audience of 166 million across 37 countries, with record engagement among viewers aged 15 to 24 and high traffic on Instagram and TikTok.

At the competition in May, pro-Palestinian activists protested in Basel over Israel’s participation despite the war in Gaza, where Israel finished as runner-up.

Following his victory, JJ called for Israel to be removed as a participant in the 2026 contest. His remarks sparked sharp criticism in Austria, a strong supporter of Israel.

"It’s very disappointing... I would like Eurovision to be held in Vienna next year, without Israel. But the ball is in the European Broadcasting Union's court. We, the artists, can only speak out on the matter," he said at the time to Spanish newspaper El País.