Eurovision 2026: Where and when to watch the song contest
The first semi-final takes place tomorrow
On May 12, Austria will host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The first semi-final will take place at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle arena, where 17 contestants will compete for a place in the grand final.
The show will begin at 9:00 PM Central European Time. Viewers will be able to watch the broadcast on ORF 1 as well as on the streaming platform ORF ON, where the show will be available both live and on demand. In addition, the dedicated portal songcontest.ORF.at will provide contest news, live updates, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
As tradition dictates, Vienna has also prepared large fan zones and public viewing events. Among the most popular locations are:
- Eurovision Village – the largest free fan zone in front of Vienna City Hall, featuring giant screens for live broadcasts.
- Wiener Volksoper – the opera house will host a special screening of the grand final along with themed karaoke nights.
- Ottakringer Brauerei – the historic brewery is organizing parties and public screenings of the final.
- Strandbar Herrmann – the popular beach bar along the Danube Canal will broadcast all Eurovision shows live.
- PraterDOME – Austria’s largest nightclub has become this year’s official EuroClub for delegations and fans.
Fans will be able to support their favourite act via the Eurovision Song Contest App, SMS voting, phone calls, or through the esc.vote platform.
Austria will be represented this year by 19-year-old singer COSMÓ with the song Tanzschein. The artist, whose real name is Benjamin Gedeon, was born in Budapest and raised in the Austrian state of Burgenland. He first gained wider recognition after participating in The Voice Kids in 2022.
The singer won the national selection show «Vienna Calling – Wer singt für Österreich?» in February this year. His Eurovision entry is a dynamic German-language electropop track, which COSMÓ describes as «a manifesto of freedom on the dance floor and a protest against aggression». As the representative of the host country, Austria automatically qualifies for the grand final on May 16, although the artist’s performance will also be featured during the second semi-final on May 14.
Photo: Instagram @cosmomachtmusik
