Third Consecutive EU Song Contest in Vienna, 2026 - CES 2026 Marks Third Instance in Vienna
Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Set for Exciting Free Public Events in Vienna
Vienna, Austria, will once again play host to the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in 2026, and the city has big plans to make the event accessible and inclusive for all. The main competition will take place at the Wiener Stadthalle arena, but the cultural and celebratory core for fans attending or following Eurovision 2026 will be centred around Vienna’s City Hall and its surrounding square.
City Hall Square (Rathausplatz) will transform into the Eurovision Village, an open-air area for fans and the general public to watch live broadcasts of the semi-finals and the final, enjoy performances by contest participants and local artists, and engage in cultural activities. This public fan zone will repeat the successful format from when Vienna hosted Eurovision in 2015.
The building itself, the Wiener Rathaus, will host the official opening ceremony and the EuroClub, the traditional nightlife spot where contest delegations, fans, and DJs celebrate Eurovision music. The opening ceremony and major festivities here will be accessible to attendees, though details about ticketing will be announced later.
The Mayor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig, has emphasised Vienna’s commitment to offering numerous Eurovision Song Contest events in public spaces that are free and accessible to everyone, ensuring cultural inclusivity regardless of financial means.
Additional related events and exact schedules will be released closer to the contest dates, but the described free public venues at City Hall and its square will form the cultural and celebratory core for fans attending or following Eurovision 2026 in Vienna.
The city of Vienna reapplied to host the ESC under the motto "Europe, shall we dance?" and is prepared to allocate up to €22.6 million for the event. The Austrian countertenor JJ won the ESC this year with his pop aria "Wasted Love."
Vienna's reputation as a musical city and its central location in Europe make it a suitable host for the ESC. The city has previously hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967 and 2015, with Conchita Wurst winning in 2015 with "Rise Like a Phoenix," and Udo Jürgens winning in 1967 with "Merci, Chérie."
The ESC will move from Switzerland to Austria next year, with the Austrian public broadcaster ORF hosting the event. However, the participation of Israel in the ESC was debated due to the Gaza conflict, and some Israel-critical posts appeared on the Instagram channels of the EBU and the Vienna Tourist Board after Vienna was announced as the host city.
Innsbruck lost the bid to host the ESC 2026 to Vienna. The final of the ESC 2026 will take place on May 16, 2026, at the Vienna Stadthalle.
[1] Vienna to host Eurovision Song Contest 2026
[2] Vienna's bid for Eurovision 2026
[3] Eurovision Song Contest 2026
[4] Eurovision Song Contest 2026: Vienna wins hosting rights
[5] Vienna to offer numerous Eurovision events for free
