Austria is basking in the glow of a triumphant Eurovision Song Contest victory, but celebrations have quickly turned to practical concerns over where to host next year’s event and how to pay for it, officials said Sunday.
The country's third Eurovision win came courtesy of 24-year-old operatic pop singer Johannes Pietsch, known as JJ, whose rousing performance of "Wasted Love" clinched victory in Basel, Switzerland overnight. While fans celebrated, government and media discussions immediately shifted to the tens of millions of euros that hosting the contest is expected to cost.
Austria's public broadcaster ORF and the federal government are now locked in negotiations over venue selection and cost-sharing. “We are in intensive discussions with Austrian officialdom,” said ORF Director General Roland Weissmann, who pledged a “transparent process” for choosing the host city.
Vienna, Austria’s capital and largest city, hosted Eurovision in 2015 after Conchita Wurst won in 2014 with "Rise Like a Phoenix", and is widely expected to be a leading candidate again. JJ, who hails from Vienna, has publicly backed the capital as the next host and even suggested that he would like to co-host the show and “fly into the opening ceremony.”
However, the win comes at a difficult moment for Austria’s finances. The newly formed centrist coalition government is dealing with a growing budget deficit, which has exceeded the EU’s 3% threshold, and the country is now in its third consecutive year of economic contraction. Earlier this week, the government unveiled a belt-tightening budget, making the prospect of funding a major international spectacle politically sensitive.
Vice Chancellor and Culture Minister Andreas Babler, appearing on ORF after the contest, confirmed only that “serious discussions” are underway regarding logistics and funding.
While exact costs have not been disclosed, previous Eurovision contests have cost host countries between €25 million and €50 million. The funding structure typically involves a combination of fees from participating broadcasters, host city contributions, and revenue from sponsorships, ticket sales, and public voting.
Still, despite the fiscal concerns, political leaders have reacted with humor and pride. Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer shared a tongue-in-cheek post on Instagram, joking that he had voted for favorite Sweden 3,000 times in an attempt to spare Austria the hosting burden. “It wasn’t enough…” he wrote.
More than a dozen Austrian cities have reportedly expressed early interest in hosting, but ORF officials stressed that no decision has yet been made. A final selection is expected in the coming weeks as budget discussions continue.
For now, Austria celebrates JJ’s victory while preparing for the challenge—and opportunity—of bringing Europe’s biggest music event to the country once again.
Austria has won the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. JJ claimed the trophy with his emotional pop-opera ballad Wasted Love, scoring 426 points in the grand final held in Basel, Switzerland.
The Eurovision 2025 grand final has kicked off in Switzerland. This year’s contest is in Basel after 25-year-old Nemo won last year with their hit song “The Code.”
Sixteen nations took the stage on Thursday, but only ten earned passage to the Grand Final on May 17 alongside the Big Five and host Switzerland. Those advancing are Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Greece
The excitement of Eurovision 2025 continues, with the following countries securing a spot in the Grand Final on Saturday, May 17
Eurovision week is here, and the 69th Eurovision Song Contest begins tonight in Basel, Switzerland, with 15 acts competing for 10 spots in Saturday’s Grand Final.
The FBI has identified 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus as the suspect behind Saturday's bombing near a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to attend the upcoming G7 finance ministers' meeting in Banff, Alberta, Canada. His goal is to shift the group’s attention toward tackling global trade imbalances and addressing unfair economic practices, according to a Treasury spokesperson.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Canada’s PM Mark Carney met in Rome after attending Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks on Ukraine with world leaders ahead of the upcoming Trump–Putin call.
U.S. President Trump and Rep. Khanna have expressed support after Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace at 10:00 local time today to explore security guarantees, territorial integrity and a possible ceasefire.
EU approves 17th Russia sanctions, blacklisting almost 200 shadow‑fleet ships, 30 evasion firms and 75 defence figures, banning missile chemicals and arming Brussels to strike Kremlin hybrid and operations.
The conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard University has escalated dramatically in recent months, with the federal government freezing billions in funding and explicitly threatening to revoke the university's tax-exempt status.
U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Walmart on Saturday, urging the retail giant to absorb the costs of import tariffs rather than pass them on to consumers, as the company warned it would begin raising prices later this month due to the ongoing trade war.
Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, expressed confidence that Monday's planned phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could help advance peace efforts.
A strong dust and windstorm struck Peshawar on Sunday evening, leading to significant damage and disruption across the city.
The FBI has identified 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus as the suspect behind Saturday's bombing near a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California.
The FBI has identified 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus as the suspect behind Saturday's bombing near a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to attend the upcoming G7 finance ministers' meeting in Banff, Alberta, Canada. His goal is to shift the group’s attention toward tackling global trade imbalances and addressing unfair economic practices, according to a Treasury spokesperson.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Canada’s PM Mark Carney met in Rome after attending Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks on Ukraine with world leaders ahead of the upcoming Trump–Putin call.
U.S. President Trump and Rep. Khanna have expressed support after Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment