London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026

Eurovision 2023: Liverpool beats Glasgow to be song contest host city

Eurovision 2023: Liverpool beats Glasgow to be song contest host city

Liverpool has been chosen to host the first Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the UK for 25 years.

The home of The Beatles, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and The Wombats will stage the spectacular event on 13 May after beating off competition from Glasgow.

The show is coming to the UK after this year's winner, Ukraine, was unable to take up hosting duties due to the war.

In a message to Ukraine, Liverpool's mayor said the event, at the M&S Bank Arena, would "do you proud".

Joanne Anderson said the city "faced strong competition from Glasgow" but she was "over the moon".

"This is a massive event and the eyes of the world will be on us in May, especially those of our friends in Ukraine," she said.

"Now begins months of work to put on the best party ever. Ukraine - you have my promise we will do you proud."

Claire McColgan, director of the city council's Culture Liverpool, told BBC News: "It feels like the whole city kind of jumped in the air at exactly the same time tonight."

UK Prime Minister Liz Truss said Liverpool would "put on an unforgettable show which celebrates the rich culture and creativity of Ukraine".

Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan added: "The city loves music and knows how to throw a party, so I've no doubt it will host a spectacular experience for the thousands in attendance and millions watching at home on the BBC."

Merseyside pop star Sonia, who came second for the UK at Eurovision in 1993, agreed. She told the BBC's One Show: "Scousers know how to party and we're going to have the biggest party ever."




Some fans watched the announcement on screens at Liverpool's famous Masquerade drag bar, where DJ Candi Take-It celebrated by playing Sir Cliff Richard's 1968 Eurovision classic Congratulations.

"Anything that brings investment into the city has got to be good, hasn't it?" she said afterwards.

"We're only hosting Eurovision to support Ukraine, aren't we, because we didn't win it [this year]. The UK has decided to do that, and I'm glad that Liverpool won it, and sorry for Glasgow. Sort of!"

Friday's announcement came after a hotly-contested bidding process, which saw 20 possible host cities cut to a final two.

Glasgow had been the bookies' favourite, but Liverpool can now expect thousands of visitors and a slice of the global spotlight in May. Around 160 million TV viewers around the world watched this year's show live.

The UK's Sam Ryder came second in this year's contest behind the Ukrainian winners


The UK has hosted Eurovision eight times in the past, most recently in Birmingham in 1998. But 2023 will be the first time the contest has been in Liverpool.

A winning country normally hosts the following year's contest, but Essex singer Sam Ryder's second-placed finish this May led the UK to be asked to step in because of the war in Ukraine.

Last year's winners Kalush Orchestra will be on stage in Liverpool next year, and said on Friday: "Playing in the same place that The Beatles started out will be a moment we'll never forget.

"Although we are sad that next year's competition cannot take place in our homeland, we know that the people of Liverpool will be warm hosts and the organisers will be able to add a real Ukrainian flavour to Eurovision 2023 in this city."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon congratulated Liverpool, but said she was "gutted" for Glasgow.


Why was Liverpool chosen?


Eurovision executive supervisor Martin Osterdahl said the city was "synonymous with music", and that Liverpool's arena "exceeds all the requirements needed to stage a global event of this scale".

He added: "We have been very impressed with the passion the city has shown in embracing the contest and their inclusive ideas for placing last year's winners, Ukraine, front and centre when thousands of fans visit next May."

The BBC said both Liverpool and Glasgow had provided "incredibly strong bids".

The broadcaster added: "Liverpool has a fantastic venue, a beautiful backdrop of a city with a rich history of music, and a cultural offer that puts Ukraine at the heart of next year's song contest."


What has Liverpool got planned?


Ticket details for the show have not yet been released. In fact, there won't just be one show - there will be nine.

As well as the live final on Saturday 13 May, fans will be able to watch a "jury show" on the Friday, which the international juries base their votes on, and a "family show" on Saturday afternoon, which is effectively a final rehearsal.

Then there will be two semi-finals on the preceding Tuesday and Thursday - and jury and family shows for each.

There will also be a programme of cultural events running alongside Eurovision itself - including artist exchanges and co-production between Liverpool and its sister city Odesa.

Ukrainian fashion, street art, orchestral musicians and painted eggs are among those plans - as is a trail of 20 life-sized cut-outs of Sonia, which people will be challenged to follow around the city.


What is the venue like?


The show will be held at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena


The 11,000-capacity arena is on a former dock on the banks of the River Mersey - next to the vibrant Albert Dock, and along from the historic "Three Graces" (the Liver Building, Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building) on the waterfront.

In short, it will look great on TV.

It's next to a convention centre and an exhibition centre, which will be handy for hosting things like the press centre and other facilities, and has a couple of hotels on site.

It's also a short walk to the city centre's other hotels and rail links, and eight miles from John Lennon Airport.

The city's rich musical history already attracts hundreds of thousands of music tourists every year, and the arena's past major events have included the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008.

The venue is likely to have to postpone some concerts that are already in the schedule for next April and May, though, because it will be needed for preparations for six to eight weeks ahead of the song contest.

Although there is no confirmation yet of which shows will be moved, events currently in the diary include Sir Elton John on 22 and 23 April and Andre Rieu on 12 May. Olly Murs has just announced a show there on 6 May - but that may now be rearranged too.

After the announcement, Booking.com said 99% of hotels were booked up for 13 May, with the cheapest remaining room priced at £639.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Labour Adviser Arrested on Suspicion of Spying for China Held Privileged Access as Top Party Donor
Turkish Parliament Passes Landmark Bill Granting Conditional Amnesty to Disarmed PKK Members
Donald Trump Warns FIFA Against Ousting Gianni Infantino Amid Revolt by Global Football Leaders
Jeff Bezos Joins Investor Group Closing In on $6 Billion Liverpool FC Stake
Police Conduct Cross-Border Raids Against Northern England Drug Network
Nicola Sturgeon Protested at Edinburgh Festival Fringe Event
Major UK Retail Chain Enters Administration With One Hundred Fifty-Four Stores Set to Close
Heathrow Renews Call for Runway Expansion After Losing Europe’s Busiest Airport Ranking
Government Condemns One Million Pound Thames Water Executive Bonus Amid Drought
NHS England Says More Than One Hundred Thousand Hepatitis C Patients Have Been Cured
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband Calls for End to West Bank Settler Violence
UK Prepares for Deepest Partial Solar Eclipse Since Nineteen Ninety-Nine
UK Heatwave Triggers Amber Health Alerts as Economic Losses Reach Four Point Four Billion Pounds
UK Offers Electricity Bill Discounts to Communities Hosting New Power Infrastructure
Bank of England Expected to Hold Interest Rates at Three Point Seven Five Percent
UK Government Moves to Ban Subscription Traps and Misleading Retail Discounts
Andy Burnham Gives Councils New Powers to Block Betting and Vape Shops
UK Councils to Receive Sweeping Planning Powers to Ban New Vape and Betting Shops
Nicola Sturgeon Says She Has No Contact With Estranged Husband After SNP Embezzlement Case
Police Arrest Two Men After Aberdeenshire Defense Technology Office Break-In
Greater Manchester Councils Gain Powers to Restrict New Vape and Betting Shops
Coroner Finds Treasury Workplace Failures Contributed to Personal Assistant’s Suicide
English and Welsh Courts Ban Meta Smart Glasses Over Recording and Privacy Risks
Strait of Hormuz Disruption Could Double UK Inflation and Trigger Recession, Forecasters Warn
UK Expands Global Talent Visa Scheme to Support Research-Intensive Companies
UK Equity Funds Suffer Record One Point Six Billion Pound Outflow Amid Capital Gains Tax Fears
Three-Quarters of England Enters Drought as Fifth Summer Heatwave Raises Economic Risks
UK Hiring Stabilizes for First Time Since 2022 as Employers Adjust to Higher Payroll Costs
UK Chancellor Orders Whitehall Spending Cuts as Public Debt Exceeds Three Trillion Pounds
UK Manufacturing Output Records Fourth Straight Month of Growth
UK Condemns Russian Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners and Recruitment of Foreign Nationals
Long-Lost Royal Navy Warship HMS Tiger Found in English Channel After 118 Years
Northern Ireland Finance Minister Seeks Urgent Treasury Talks Over Regional Budget Pressures
UK Government Targets Subscription Traps and Misleading Discounts in New Consumer Rules
Alleged Cartel Boss Daniel Kinahan Extradited From Dubai to Face Criminal Charges
AI Chatbots Challenge Traditional News Consumption and Raise Job Concerns
Andy Burnham Government Promises Crackdown on Exploitative Business Practices
UK University Funding Model Faces Growing Pressure From Unsustainable Student Debt
Government Urged to Subsidise Energy Bills for Vulnerable UK Households
UK Military Spending Plans Threaten to Deepen Infrastructure Funding Gap
Israeli Government Rejects US Peace Framework for Gaza
New Labour Government Signals Closer Economic and Strategic Ties With European Union
Amber Heat-Health Alerts Issued Across England as Temperatures Threaten 36 Degrees
UK Economy Expected to Grow Despite Energy and Supply Chain Shock From Iran Conflict
Foreign Social Media Accounts Drove Disinformation During Belfast and Southampton Riots
Record Number of Migrants Cross English Channel in Single Vessel as Smugglers Deploy Mega-Dinghies
Russia’s A7 Builds a State-Linked Payments Network Beyond Western Sanctions
Reports of Mark Zuckerberg-Linked Superyacht Declining Rescue Assistance Draw Maritime Scrutiny
Preserving Three Banksy Artworks in London Has Cost Taxpayers Nearly £150,000
Four Ugandan Athletes Disappear From Delegation After UK Sporting Events
×