Vienna has been chosen to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, with the final set for 16 May and semi-finals on 12 and 14 May at the Wiener Stadthalle. Austria's JJ won this year's contest in Basel with "Wasted Love," a song blending techno beats and operatic vocals, securing hosting rights for his home country. Vienna previously hosted Eurovision in 1967 and 2015 and beat Innsbruck for the 2026 staging. Eurovision, launched in 1955, has driven major pop careers and drew about 166 million viewers across 37 countries this year, with high youth engagement on Instagram and TikTok. The contest has also provoked protests and political controversy related to Israel's participation.
Since its launch in 1955, Eurovision has become the ultimate pop platform, catapulting the Swedish group Abba to worldwide fame, as well as boosting the likes of Celine Dion, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John. About 166 million viewers in 37 countries watched this year's contest, with a record 60% of viewers aged 15 to 24 tuning in. The competition got even more views on Instagram and TikTok.
The show has often drawn controversy, with pro-Palestinian activists staging protests in Switzerland in May after Eurovision allowed Israel who was runner-up to participate in the contest despite the devastating Gaza war. After his win, JJ, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, in an interview called for Israel to be excluded from next year's competition, sparking a storm of criticism in Austria, a staunch supporter of Israel.
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