The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is the 70th edition of the contest. It consists of two semi-finals on 12 and 14 May and a final on 16 May 2026, held at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria.
The contest is presented by Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski, with Emily Busvine acting as the green room host. It is being organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster รsterreichischer Rundfunk (ORF).
๐ Host City Selection
After Austria’s win in the 2025 contest, ORF director Roland Weiรmann emphasised venue suitability and proximity to airports as key criteria. ORF launched the bidding process on 2 June 2025.
Several Austrian cities expressed interest, including Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Wels, Oberwart, Sankt Pรถlten, and Ebreichsdorf. Vienna and Innsbruck were the only cities to submit bids by the deadline.
On 20 August, the EBU and ORF announced Vienna as the host city. It is the third time that Austria has hosted the contest, having previously done so in 1967 and 2015, both times also in Vienna.
๐ Participating Countries
Broadcasters from thirty-five countries are participating in the contest. This is two fewer than in 2025 and the smallest number of participants since 2003.
Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain have opted not to participate in protest at Israel’s inclusion in the context of the Gaza war. Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania are returning after absences from recent editions.
๐ถ Returning Artists
The contest is set to feature two returning artists: Estonia’s Vanilla Ninja previously represented Switzerland in 2005, and San Marino’s Senhit previously represented the country in 2011 and 2021. Poland’s Alicja was also set to represent the country in 2020.
Aliona Moon, who previously represented Moldova in 2013, will provide backing vocals for Satoshi. Georgia’s Bzikebi previously won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2008 for the country. Belgium’s Essyla previously represented the country in Eurovision Choir 2019.
๐ Key Facts Table
| Category | Detail | Category | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edition | 70th | Host City | Vienna, Austria |
| Venue | Wiener Stadthalle | Dates | 12, 14, 16 May 2026 |
| Participating Countries | 35 | Boycotting Countries | 5 (Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain) |
| Returning Countries | Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania | Previous Host Years | 1967, 2015 |