Liverpool and Manchester are set to discover if they have been shortlisted to host the Eurovision Song Contest next year. The much-anticipated announcement will be made on BBC Radio 2 by the European Broadcasting Union. Both cities face stiff competition from Sheffield, London, and others. This competition follows the decision to move the event from Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict.
- The Eurovision Song Contest may not be held in Ukraine after their victory due to the ongoing Russian invasion.
- The announcement will be made on BBC Radio 2 by the European Broadcasting Union.
- Candidate cities must have ample event space, suitable lodging, and international transport links.
- The UK has hosted Eurovision more times than any other country, with automatic grand final entries for Ukraine, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Liverpool and Manchester are poised to learn if they have made the shortlist to host the Eurovision Song Contest for the upcoming year. The European Broadcasting Union is set to unveil the shortlisted cities on BBC Radio 2 this coming Friday, August 12. Alongside Liverpool and Manchester, cities such as Sheffield and London are also strong contenders.
This year, Ukraine won the Eurovision with Kalush Orchestra, yet the event will not be held in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. Despite Ukraine’s victory, the European Broadcasting Union decided it would be safer to relocate the event. Consequently, various UK cities have placed bids to host the popular contest.
To be considered, each candidate city needs to offer a large events space, adequate accommodation, and international transport links. These criteria ensure that the host city can adequately support the influx of participants and visitors from various countries. Hosting Eurovision is no small feat; meticulous planning and robust infrastructure are crucial.
Liverpool’s assistant mayor, Cllr Harry Doyle, commented on the city’s bid, stating, “We are excited to have submitted a bid for Liverpool to host Eurovision 2023. Making a major event like this possible in such a short timeframe is complicated and is going to need some careful and creative planning, but we think Liverpool would be the perfect stage to celebrate this unique Eurovision. We look forward to finding out if we have been successful in getting through to the next stage of the process.”
Notably, this will mark the ninth occasion the UK has hosted Eurovision, which is more than any other country. The usual grand finalists—Ukraine, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain—will automatically qualify. This is due to their significant financial contributions to the event, allowing them a free pass to the grand final.
The upcoming announcement will determine which UK city will have the honour of hosting Eurovision next year.