The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Bulgarian National Television (BNT) announced that the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Burgas, Bulgaria from May 12-15. This comes after Dara's win in this year's contest with her song "Bangaranga", marking Bulgaria's first victory. The contest will take place at Arena Burgas, a new sports and entertainment venue opened in 2023, which can host rehearsals, semi-finals, and the grand final. The event is expected to be a celebration of Bulgarian culture and music, attracting millions of viewers worldwide.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- Published
Eurovision 2027 will be a seaside song contest held in the Bulgarian city of Burgas, organisers have confirmed.
asserted
organisers → publish → Burgas
The competition will take place in the city, which is close to the Black Sea, from 12 to 15 May, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Bulgarian National Television (BNT) announced on Thursday.
uncertain
Union → take → Thursday
It comes after Bulgarian singer Dara won this year's contest in Vienna, Austria in May - her country's first Eurovision win - with her pneumatic dance anthem Bangaranga.
uncertain
Dara → come → anthem
Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green said they were "delighted" with the next choice of destination, adding that Burgas would "bring something really special" to the competition.
asserted
Burgas → say → competition
The contest, including rehearsals, the semi-finals and grand final, will be held at Bulgaria's newest sports and entertainment venue, Arena Burgas, which was opened in 2023.
asserted
which → include → 2023
"[Burgas] is a vibrant, welcoming city on the Black Sea with a strong musical and cultural identity, and it has the ambition, infrastructure and passion needed to welcome the Eurovision family," Green said.
asserted
Green → welcome → family
"For the first Eurovision Song Contest ever to be held in Bulgaria, we want to create something that feels truly Bulgarian while also being unmistakably Eurovision – a celebration that brings people together through music."
asserted
that → hold → music
Bulgaria's fourth largest city was selected for its "strong overall proposition, combining the venue and technical potential" - including hotel capacity, transport and international travel.
asserted
city → select → capacity
Reacting to the news, Dara said: "I'm so happy that Bulgaria will host Eurovision, so be ready because we're going to scream!
asserted
we → react → Eurovision
And I know that all of my seaside people are great at parties."
asserted
all → know → parties
It may come as a surprise to some Eurovision watchers that the contest will be held there and not in the capital, Sofia.
uncertain
contest → come → capital
Speaking at a press conference after the most recent song contest in May, the director of BNT, Milena Miltenova, said: "I'm so proud of Dara's performance.
uncertain
I → speak → performance
And I'm so proud to say welcome to Sofia next year."
asserted
I → say → Sofia
Dara - the winning contestant - said something similar at the time: "I'm so happy that you're coming to Sofia next year.
asserted
you → win → Sofia
I'm happy that it [Eurovision] is going to be in my home."
asserted
Eurovision → go → home
However, the EBU said on Thursday that Burgas was selected following a "competitive" process involving four Bulgarian cities.
asserted
Burgas → say → cities
Burgas and Sofia progressed to the final stage of the selection process following the initial bids, which also included Varna and Plovdiv.
Miltenova has said she is now "confident" that Bulgaria will be a "worthy" host and the country would "showcase the very best of our culture, hospitality and professionalism".
asserted
country → progress → culture
She added there would now be "an intensive period of collaboration" between all involved in order "to deliver a contest that meets the high expectations of millions of viewers around the world".
asserted
that → add → world
Burgas mayor Dimitar Nikolov added that it was an "exceptional honour".
asserted
it → add → ?
The Eurovision Song Contest can have an impact beyond the stage, with the event providing a platform for host cities and countries to put themselves in the spotlight.
asserted
cities → have → spotlight
According to the EBU,, external Liverpool saw a €66m (£56m) economic boost after hosting in 2023, Malmö €40m in 2024 and Basel €58m in 2025.
uncertain
58 → accord → 2025
"I think it's a good choice, because a lot of events happen in Sofia," one resident told BNT immediately after the announcement.
asserted
resident → think → announcement
"I think it's cool they will put the contest near on the sea, because people will come and see more of Bulgaria.
asserted
people → think → Bulgaria
"
"This is a very big event for the city," added another.
asserted
another → add → city
"I believe Burgas was the definitive choice.
asserted
Burgas → believe → ?
Earlier this week, organisers of the song contest updated their rules to state that if a country involved in an armed conflict wins the competition, it will be ineligible to host it the following year.
asserted
it → update → it
The amendment was approved by the contest's governing body, following feedback from participating broadcasters after Eurovision 2026 in Vienna.
asserted
amendment → approve → Vienna
It stated that winning countries will also be disqualified from hosting if a "sensitive geopolitical situation" affects the "security, safety or stability of their state or immediate region".
asserted
situation → state → state
The update has been interpreted as a reaction to Israel's continued presence at the contest, amid criticism of its military actions in Gaza and the Middle East.
asserted
update → interpret → Gaza
Last November, following a failed attempt to have Israel suspended, five broadcasters announced they were boycotting the competition - including Eurovision powerhouses Spain and Ireland.
asserted
they → follow → Spain
Despite the protests, Israel's Noam Bettan ultimately took second place with his song Michelle.
asserted
Bettan → take → song
It marked the second year in a row that Israel had taken the runners-up position - and some participating broadcasters have privately expressed safety concerns over the contest being staged in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, should the country win in the future.
asserted
country → mark → future
Although Israel will undoubtedly be seen as the target of the rule change, it will also affect Ukraine, which has been engaged in a protracted war since it was invaded by Russia in 2022.
asserted
it → see → 2022
Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra went on to win Eurovision that same year, in a symbolic show of public support.
asserted
Orchestra → go → support
Following their victory, Eurovision organisers undertook a "full assessment and feasibility study" to decide whether the 2023 contest could proceed in Kyiv.
uncertain
contest → follow → Kyiv
They ultimately decided the security risks were too great, and the UK stepped in to host the competition in Liverpool.
asserted
UK → decide → Liverpool
