Eurovision is one of the largest annual international music shows. By 2025, 69 Eurovision Song Contests had already been held. The first Eurovision Song Contest took place on 24 May 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland, with seven countries taking part. The contest is one of the longest-running and most-watched programmes in the world, drawing around 100–600 million viewers worldwide each year. Where will the next edition of the contest be held?
The 70th Eurovision Song Contest. The venue
Eurovision 2026 will take place in Vienna, the capital of Austria. This will be the third time Vienna hosts this music contest (previously in 1967 and 2015). The contest will be held at the Wiener Stadthalle arena, which has the right infrastructure and space for this prestigious event. The semi-finals are scheduled for 12 and 14 May, and the grand final will take place on 16 May 2026.
Vienna was chosen due to favourable logistical conditions and a strong accommodation base, offering around 80 thousand hotel beds. The city also plans numerous side events open to everyone, regardless of their budget.
What about Israel?
As for Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026, the matter is currently very controversial. Following Israel’s second-place finish in the 2025 contest and the ongoing conflict with Hamas, there have been calls for the country to be excluded from next year’s edition. The debate was held during the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and the decision on Israel’s participation is expected to be made in autumn 2025.
Many broadcasters oppose Israel’s participation due to the ongoing conflict and political tensions, although there is also a group of countries that support its entry, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece and Cyprus, and informally also the United Kingdom. Israeli broadcaster KAN states that Eurovision means more to them than just a contest. The winner of Eurovision 2025, JJ from Austria, publicly expressed the hope that Israel would not perform in 2026.
