Following the call for expressions of interest by the ORF to select the host city for Eurovision 2026, Wels and Linz have declared their readiness to take on the organization of the contest!
The two cities officially submitted their joint application on Wednesday, June 4th, meeting all the minimum requirements necessary to host the biggest and most prestigious music event in the world — thus advancing to the second phase of the selection process.
The team responsible for the bid in Upper Austria consists of experienced and established professionals. Representing the mayors Dr. Andreas Rabl (Wels) and Mag. Dietmar Prammer (Linz), the team includes:
Peter Jungreithmair, MBA – Managing Director of Wels Marketing & Touristik GmbH, Tourism Association of the Wels Region
Mag. (FH) Marie Luise Schnurpfeil – Managing Director of Linz Tourism
Dr. Peter Franzmayr – Chief Executive Officer of the City of Wels
Mag. Ulrike Huemer – Chief Executive Officer of the City of Linz
Following Austria’s victory at Eurovision, the desire of the two largest cities in Upper Austria to host the event in the heart of the region has grown significantly. Governor Mag. Thomas Stelzer has already expressed his support for the joint Wels–Linz bid.
According to current information, the plan foresees that:
Wels will be the main location for the live shows, with the new exhibition hall Messe Wels expected to be completed by March 2026.
Linz will contribute mainly in the areas of hospitality, accommodation, and support for cultural events, leveraging its experience and infrastructure.
If their proposal is approved by the ORF and the EBU, it will mark the first official joint Eurovision hosting by two cities — a historic first for the contest.
The official announcement of the host city is expected on August 8th.
Source: ots.at
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