Vienna: The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced Wednesday that Austria’s capital Vienna will host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in 2026. “Austria’s capital Vienna has been selected by Host Broadcaster ORF and the EBU to host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in May 2026,” the EBU stated.

According to Anadolu Agency, the semi-finals will take place on May 12 and 14, with the Grand Final scheduled for May 16 at the Wiener Stadthalle, Austria’s largest indoor arena. This marks the third occasion that Austria will host the contest, with previous events held in 1967 and 2015.

The announcement follows the victory of Austrian singer-songwriter JJ, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, in this year’s Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel on May 17. Israel’s Yuval Raphael secured second place but faced criticism and calls for a ban on Israel’s participation in Eurovision due to its actions in Gaza since October 2023.