Everybody’s favorite song contest is coming to the UK in 2023. But the question is, which city is most likely to host it?
Sadly, last year’s winner, Ukraine, cannot host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023 due to safety and security concerns caused by the war. So, the responsibility has fallen to last year’s runner-up to take on the challenge.
The BBC will broadcast the contest and will ensure that last year’s winner Ukraine is celebrated and incorporated throughout the show.
With 20 cities across the UK expressing their interest in hosting the competition, the list has been whittled down to the 7 following cities:
So, which city is most likely to host Eurovision? According to Betfair, these are the odds for each of the 7 locations:
And so, in conjunction with these odds, here’s why each city could host the much-loved competition.
Glasgow
Scotland has been no stranger to the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1972 it was hosted by Edinburgh in Usher Hall. It was the first time the event was held outside of London when the UK was chosen as the host country. Could it be time to give the other major city in Scotland a chance to host? Additionally, in 1969, the UK won Eurovision in a 4-way tie thanks to Scottish-born singer Lulu. Who knows, maybe Scotland could even bring some luck to the UK entry since one of its own was able to win the competition in the past. The country also certainly knows how to display its culture with the annual Fringe Festival that takes place every summer. These are just some of the many reasons Glasgow is a top choice to host the competition.
Birmingham
Birmingham has just finished hosting the Commonwealth Games. The Games took place in 7 different venues across the city and in surrounding areas. This proves that Birmingham can organize and cater for international events successfully. As well as this, the city has already hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1998. It is also the most diverse place in the UK, so it already experiences and represents many cultures. It’s no surprise then that Birmingham is another popular choice to host.
Manchester
Manchester has an obvious love and passion for music. Many iconic bands have come out of the city, such as The Smiths, Oasis, Joy Divison, and The Stone Roses. It also has suitable venues for the song contest, such as the AO Arena, which is the largest indoor arena in Europe. The city continues to commit to music with a new Co-op Live arena currently being built. It hopes to open in 2023. Perhaps the Eurovision Song Contest can be the first event to open the new arena?
Liverpool
Like Manchester, Liverpool also has rich links to music. The city is the hometown of The Beatles, one of the most iconic bands of all time. Once again, like Manchester, Liverpool also has a renowned concert venue. The M&S Bank Arena sits in a prime waterfront location and provides exceptional facilities. It has also been named a UNESCO city of music. This makes Liverpool another impressive choice to host the Eurovision Song Contest.
Leeds
According to the odds, Leeds is one of the locations that is less likely to host the Eurovision Song Contest. However, that’s not to say it doesn’t boast great venues for music. For example, Leeds Festival takes place every summer and caters to crowds of over 75,000 people. So, the city is well prepared to cope with large numbers of people swarming to the area.
Newcastle
Newcastle sits in an excellent possible location for the Eurovision Song Contest. It is close to the Scottish border and major cities such as Middlesborough and Leeds, meaning fans from both Scotland and England wouldn’t have to travel too far for the event. However, the locations listed before seem to have stronger connections to music. But, this doesn’t make Newcastle any less great as a city, just maybe not the immediate choice as host of the competition.
Sheffield
Even though bands such as Pulp and the Arctic Monkeys have come from Sheffield, it ranks bottom in the odds to host the Eurovision Song Contest. Perhaps the musical reputation of the other cities makes it hard to compete. However, there may still be hope, as everyone loves an underdog, right?
We will have to wait until the autumn to find out what location is picked to host the competition. But, no matter what city ends up hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, you can be sure that thousands of fans will flock there to see the fantastic show. Will you be one of them?
Above all, let us hope the UK can create a fitting celebration for Ukraine, who sadly have to miss out on this wonderful opportunity.
