Each year, one country gets the opportunity to host the Eurovision song contest, but how do we know which country gets to host?
Well, after the first two contests, it was decided that the winning country would host the contest the year after. In all but five cases, the winning country has accepted the opportunity to host, however, as mentioned, a country does not have to accept.
If a country turns down the offer, it will go to another broadcaster. In four of the five cases where countries have declined, the BBC (British broadcaster) have taken over as hosts, and once, the Netherlands accepted the hosting rights, as other broadcasters were unwilling to do so. This is usually due to financial difficulties, as the contest is not a cheap program to produce.
The cost of hosting is, for the most part, covered by the contributions made by participating countries, and also commercial sponsorships. Despite the costs, most countries are willing to host the contest as it is a unique opportunity to promote their country as a tourist destination.
When choosing a host city for the contest, organisers must consider whether the city has a capacity to hold a large amount of people – not just for the concert venue, but the city must have enough accommodation for visitors. As such, usually the capital city, or one of the larger cities in that country will host the contest.