Austrian broadcaster ORF released an official press announcement regarding the plans for Eurovision 2026.
First of all, the minimal requirements for the host city and venue were given:
- The venue must be available exclusively for at least seven weeks before and one week after the final.
- The venue must be a roofed, soundproof, light-insulated, and air-conditioned.
- The venue must have a capacity of at least 10,000 seats.
- Applicant cities must submit their bid by the 4th of July 2025.
- The EBU regulations include: a fully equipped event hall with appropriate capacity and infrastructure, good public and international transportation, sufficient accommodation in the region, and the host city’s organizational, security, and sustainable implementation capabilities.
Back in 2015, ORF added the following requirements, which might be relevant for 2026 as well:
- The arena must have a a minimum ceiling height of around 15 meters.Â
- Furthermore, a “green room” for approximately 300 people (artists and delegations) had to be accommodated either in the venue or in its immediate vicinity.
- additional space of approximately 6,000 square meters was required for the backstage area (catering, dressing rooms, makeup rooms, viewing room, commentary booths), approximately 4,000 square meters for the press center for the more than 1,000 expected journalists, and sufficient space for an accreditation cente
Possible Dates
Based on ORF application documents, there are 2 sets of possible dates for Eurovision 2025:
- Semi-Finals on May 12th and 14th, Grand Final on May 16th
- Semi-Finals on May 19th and 21st, Grand Final on May 23rd
ORF Director General Roland Weißmann commented:
ORF will conduct a transparent, speedy, and fair selection process with legal support.
The most important will be the size and availability of the hall, the accessibility of the host city, and the necessary capacity to accommodate the delegations, staff, and visitors
What is your hope for the host city?
Will it be Vienna again, just like in 2015?
