NEW YORK — May 4, 2026 – The Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place in Vienna, returning to the Austrian capital for the third time after 1967 and 2015. With delegations now in the city preparing for the semi-finals on May 12 and 14 and the Grand Final on May 16 at the Wiener Stadthalle, Rathausplatz will serve as the main hub for fans from across Europe. Under the motto “United by Music”, Vienna highlights its spirit of openness and inclusivity.
Everyone, even those without a ticket, can enjoy the show thanks to around 30 public screenings across the city and numerous supporting events. In addition, 500 free tickets will be made available to social organisations to enable people facing financial hardship to attend.
“A Eurovision Song Contest rests on three pillars: the EBU, the national broadcaster – and a host city that delivers. Vienna delivers. In 2015, we showed what is possible: the most hospitable ESC in history – acclaimed for its atmosphere, accessibility and international appeal. We are building on that in 2026 and consistently developing the city experience further. With the Vienna Experience Bag, we are implementing the biggest fan engagement initiative of all time. And with our ‘ivie’ app, Welcome Desks and a curated program of experiences, Vienna will become a space for experiences extending far beyond the Stadthalle,” says Norbert Kettner, ESC Coordinator for the City of Vienna and CEO of the Vienna Tourist Board.
The Opening Ceremony
On May 10, Eurovision Week in Vienna officially begins with the opening ceremony and the Turquoise Carpet, the only moment when all 35 delegations will appear together. The procession will lead from the Burgtheater to City Hall, accompanied by musical performances by the ORF Symphony Orchestra and the Woodstock Allstar Band. The finale will feature “Wasted Love” by JJ, the winner of the 2025 ESC, performed together with the Vienna RSO.
The meeting points
The Eurovision Village, organized by the City of Vienna with ORF, will be a key fan hub for up to 15,000 visitors, with free daily entry from 2 pm (and a special brunch opening on May 14 at 11 am). It will screen the live shows on May 12, 14 and 16 and feature concerts, DJ sets, interactive experiences such as karaoke and photo booths, an ESC quiz, as well as 14 street food stalls offering Viennese and international cuisine.
At the PraterDOME, the Euro-Club is hosting six evenings of events featuring artists and delegations. Highlights include the Golden Years Party on May 15, dedicated to the festival’s greatest classics, and a themed disco for children (aged 6–12) on May 16, featuring Auri, the mascot of the 2026 ESC.
Finally, the Wien Museum is hosting the Eurofan House, featuring exclusive interviews with this year’s participants, curated by Wiwibloggs, as well as talks, presentations, activities and events organized by OGAE Austria, the official Austrian Eurovision fan club. The Eurofan House is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00, with free admission.
An inclusive festival visible from every corner of the city
Around thirty public screenings have been organized to broadcast the contest live; these can be found on a map at eurovision.wien.gv.at and on songcontest.orf.at. These include Strandbar Hermann, the beach bar on the Danube Canal with table tennis, a wheel of fortune and an unrivalled atmosphere; Ottakringer, Vienna’s largest brewery, which has been selected to brew the official beer of the ESC; the magnificent auditorium of the Volksoper; the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts; the Votiv Kino, one of Vienna’s oldest and most popular arthouse cinemas in the 9th district (Alsergrund); and even a variety of hotels such as the 25hours Hotel and the Hotel Sans Souci, as well as bars and clubs.
The side events you shouldn’t miss
Throughout the week of the contest, the Danube will be transformed into a dance floor: every day, a two-hour ‘Disco Cruise’ will set off from the Wien/Reichsbrücke jetty, playing historical and contemporary hits.
The Eurofan Café brings the Song Contest atmosphere to Vienna’s coffee houses. From May 3 to 17 2026, 20 selected coffee houses will sponsor the participating countries and offer a colourful program ranging from coffee raves to brunch.
The energy of the Eurovision Song Contest will also be felt on public transport, with a special tram on line 49, the “WL x Eurovision”, recognisable by the “Vienna 12-Points” sign, where karaoke and jam sessions will take place. The U2 line will be designated as the “Song Contest Route”, as it connects key locations such as City Hall (Eurovision Village), Praterstern (Euro-Club) and Karlsplatz (Eurofan House).
Discover the city’s hidden gems with ivie, the official Host City App
The host city’s official app, ivie—one of Europe’s most successful with around two million downloads—will serve as the key guide to the Eurovision Song Contest. It helps visitors navigate fan zones, public viewing areas, and events, while also highlighting Vienna’s lesser-known museums, architecture, parks, markets, and hidden spots beyond the usual tourist routes.
The ivie app offers curated themed guides, including the ESC History Guide, which traces iconic Eurovision locations and Austrian winning moments, the Music in Vienna Guide, featuring key concert halls, opera houses and museums such as the House of Music, and an LGBTIQ+ Guide highlighting queer culture across the city.
It also powers the Eurovision Song Contest Challenge, a digital scavenger hunt running from April 20 across six locations. Participants answer quiz questions to win prizes, including Eurovision fan packs and a grand prize weekend in Vienna for two at the music-themed hotel Jaz in the City.
Exclusive prizes for fans with tickets – the biggest fan engagement campaign in the history of the ESC
Those who already hold ESC tickets can, with a bit of luck, enter a prize draw for one of 9,000 welcome bags, containing 35 vouchers, a free version of the Vienna City Card called “Discounts Only”, and exclusive Eurovision Song Contest merchandise. The remaining welcome bags, numbering around 800, will go to volunteers as a token of appreciation for their support.
The Eurovision ticket is also valid on the specified event day for use of public transport to and from the Stadthalle, once again confirming Vienna as an efficient and well-connected smart city.
Eurovision and sustainability
By the end of the summer, the report on the event’s sustainability – produced by ORF and the City of Vienna, including measurements of greenhouse gas emissions – will be available. According to the criteria of the Austrian Ecolabel, the main show at the Stadthalle will qualify for dual certification as a ‘Green Event’ and ‘Green Producing’. The supporting events, such as the Village on Rathausplatz, will also be classified as ‘EcoEvents’.
Further information can be found under eurovision.vienna.info and in the official ivie app.
