With just over month to go until the host city for Eurovision 2026 is revealed, another bid has been withdrawn. A dual bid between Wels and Linz will not go ahead, leaving just three cities in the running.
Wels and Linz have no suitable venue
In previous weeks, Wels and Linz have investigated the possibility of a joint bid. In the proposal, Wels would serve as the host venue for the Contest, with Linz being used as the centre for Eurovision fans. However, it has since been revealed that the joint bid would not be going ahead.
Speaking in a press release, the bid ran into issues surrounding the ability to host the competition. In particular, the venue – which is currently under construction – would not meet the EBU’s requirement for a high ceiling. It would also struggle due to the stage technology and the suspension points needed to put on the competition. These requirements can only be met in one venue across the entire country.
Costs to run the show too high for the cities
The mayor of Wels, Dr. Andreas Rabl said that it would have been fantastic for the cities to prepare a major bid to host the Contest. He added:
Personally, I would have been pleased if a major event had taken place outside of Vienna for once. However, the complex technical requirements for the hall structures were ultimately impossible to meet.
The expected costs were also significantly higher than the estimated budget. In any case, we will continue to strive for international events in the new exhibition halls – seeking opportunities for cooperation with the City of Linz has proven successful.
Linz’s mayor Dietmar Prammer also gave his view:
Linz, with its diverse offerings, hospitality, and strong team, could have contributed a great deal. Of course, it’s a shame that we didn’t pursue this path further – we would have been delighted to welcome such a large, unifying event, at least in part, to Linz.
Even if it didn’t qualify for the application this time, the intensive cooperation with Wels shows what’s possible in Upper Austria when cities pull together. While it’s a shame that it can’t happen, it’s a well-founded decision based on clear facts.
As a result, just three cities remain in contention to host Eurovision 2026. These are Vienna, Innsbruck and St. Pölten. The final decision is expected to be made on August 8th.
The journey to Eurovision 2026
The journey to the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest kicked off immediately following JJ’s win in Basel, when Austria’s ORF accepted the rights to host the 70th edition of the contest. At present, the Alpine nation has not formally addressed its hosting plans. Those are expected to come in July. However, cities across Austria have already begun discussing their thoughts on hosting or not.
The cities that have expressed a wish to host:
The cities that have ruled out hosting:
- Ebreichsdorf
- Oberwart
- Graz
- Salzburg
- Klagenfurt
- Wels and Linz (joint bid)
What did you think of the bid from Wels and Linz? Which city will be the host of Eurovision 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: Corinne Cumming / EBU
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Silvia Stifini