Eurovision legend Conchita Wurst, who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, has announced that they are withdrawing from all future involvement with Eurovision events.
A personal statement
Conchita first burst onto the Eurovision scene in 2012, competing in Austria’s national selection where they finished second, before being chosen internally by ORF to represent the country in Copenhagen 2014 with the powerful ballad “Rise Like a Phoenix.” That victory not only crowned them as one of Eurovision’s standout winners but also made Conchita a symbol of resilience and self-expression in the contest’s history.
In a personal statement shared on social media, the artist explained that the decision to step back is their own, describing it as a move to focus on other creative endeavours and allow room for new opportunities. Conchita said Eurovision will always hold an important place in their life, but their path forward lies elsewhere.
All About 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. The bidding process started in June, with interested cities having until July 4 to submit their bid book. Innsbruck and Vienna were shortlisted, with the latter winning the right to host next year’s contest. 35 countries will take part in the competition, the lowest number of competing entries since 2004.
As for the organisation of the competition, the ‘core team‘ was revealed in June 2025, with further details about next year’s competition to be revealed in due course. The shows will take place on May 12th, 14th and 16th.
What do you think about it? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky as we start looking ahead to Eurovision 2026!
News Source: Conchita Wurst
Photo Source: EBU
Thomas James