Is Lisbon a certain choice? Update on 2018 Host City!
Portugal had the longest running participation in Eurovision without a win, and we of course know that this streak was broken upon Salvador Sobral’s win in Kyiv this year. The nation won with a total score of 758 points, and found a place in the hearts of fans across the world.
Soon after their win, the host city was seemingly chosen. As many would predict, Portugal’s capital city Lisbon was thought to be the host, with Eurovision and Portuguese news outlets and fans (including ourselves!) getting caught up in the excitement and hype surrounding the 2018 contest.
It seems that now the excitement has died down a little, organisers are taking the time to really think about the choice. Broadcaster RTP has decided that they are going with a democratic bidding process in order to maintain transparency, meaning that cities other than Lisbon have a shot at hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018 if capable. The broadcaster has visited Lisbon, Gondomar, Santa Maria da Feira and Braga to gain some initial thoughts about how each city would be able to handle the pressures of hosting Eurovision.
It’s not a surprise that money will play a big part in the choice as well, and RTP has stated that partnerships with sponsors both public and private will play a big part of the whole operation, including strong cooperations with the host city and tourism boards. Also to be considered is potential venues, the transport infrastructure and hotel options for the fans making their way to the contest.
Although other cities are being considered, it’s a fair assumption that Lisbon will indeed be the host city due to the easy access to the airport, plus the integrated public transport system lends itself for easy access. As the capital city, it also has plenty of accommodation for fans and delegations. The venue tipped to host, as previously reported, is MEO Arena which has a capacity of 20,000, and is right by the river! That sounds good to us!
Stay tuned for more news regarding the host city for 2018!
