British broadcaster BBC provided an update on the Eurovision host city bidding, with just two cities left in the running. Eurovision 2023 will be hosted in either Glasgow or Liverpool.
Back in August, 7 cities were announced as potential host cities for next year’s contest. The list included Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield. Following a detailed assessment process, organisers determined that Glasgow and Liverpool put forward the best bids. The bids must be in line with the host city guidelines. This includes adequate hotel and transport options, as well arena and technical capabilities.
Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest, thanked the competing cities:
‘The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) would like to warmly thank all the 7 British cities that put so much effort and enthusiasm into their bids to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine. We very much appreciate their cooperation and the quality and creativity of all the bids received.
The Eurovision Song Contest is the most complex TV production in the world with very specific logistical requirements to accommodate around 40 delegations and thousands of crew, volunteers, press and fans.
We’re confident our final two cities are the best placed to meet this challenge and look forward to continuing our discussions to choose the one which will stage the world’s largest music event next May.’
The final decision is made by the BBC in conjunction with the EBU. We can expect a decision in the coming weeks.