We’re less than 24 hours since JJ won the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, and Austria’s ORF has not only confirmed it will host next year’s contest, but has begun planning.
ORF begins planning
After receiving the traditional documents at last night’s press conference, Austria’s public service broadcaster has confirmed that it does intend to host the 2026 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Planning has commenced, with the process likely having begun prior to JJ’s triumph in Basel last night.
There is no set timeline for the opening of city bids and tenders, though last year SSR SRG did make it’s announcements by the end of the month following Nemo’s win.
Austria’s Eurovision Journey
In 1957, Austria made their debut into the Eurovision Song Contest, where Bob Martin represented the landlocked nation with the song “Wohin, kleines Pony?”. At the close of voting, it managed to place 10th overall. Since their debut, Austria has participated 56 times (being in the final 49 times), and have won the competition on two occasions in 1966 and 2014.
For 2025, JJ was internally selected to represent Austria with their song “Wasted Love”. In Basel, JJ qualified for the final, where he then went on to win the contest after receiving 436 points from the Juries and Televotes combined.
What are your hopes for ORF’s plans for 2026? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News Source: ORF
Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
Silvia Stifini