Vienna has been selected to host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in May 2026, Austrian public broadcaster ORF and the European Broadcasting Union announced on Wednesday. The live music event will take place at the city’s 16,000-seat Wiener Stadthalle, with semi-finals scheduled for 12 and 14 May and the grand final on 16 May. The Austrian capital secured the hosting rights after a competitive bid process that also included Innsbruck. Organisers said Vienna was chosen for its transport links, accommodation capacity and previous experience staging large-scale cultural events. It will be the third time the city hosts Eurovision, following editions in 1967 and 2015. Austria earned the right to stage the 2026 contest after Austrian-Filipino countertenor JJ won the 2025 competition with the song “Wasted Love.” ORF, working with city authorities and the EBU, said preparations are under way to welcome thousands of performers, crew and fans to what is billed as the world’s biggest live televised music show.