Burgas, Bulgaria, to host Eurovision 2027

Burgas, a coastal city on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, will host the 71st Eurovision Song Contest in May 2027, marking the first time Bulgaria has hosted the event. The announcement was made jointly by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Bulgarian National Television (BNT) on Thursday, August 13, 2026 Source: ABC, Infobae. The decision follows Bulgaria's victory in the 2026 contest in Vienna, where singer Dara won with the song 'Bangaranga' Source: ABC, El Confidencial.

Selection process

Burgas was chosen from four candidate cities, including the capital Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna. The EBU and BNT cited Burgas's "solid overall proposal," which combined the necessary venue and technical potential with accommodation, transport, and international connectivity, as well as a strong municipal commitment Source: El Mundo. The other candidate cities will participate in accompanying events Source: El Mundo.

Event details

The contest will take place at the Arena Burgas, a multifunctional venue with 5,500 seats and capacity for up to 15,000 people Source: ABC. The two semi-finals are scheduled for May 11 and 13, 2027, with the grand final on May 15, 2027 Source: ABC, El Confidencial. Six additional concerts are planned between May 10 and 15 Source: El Confidencial.

Reactions and context

Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov called the selection "an honor and a privilege," promising a high-level performance Source: ABC. BNT Director General Milena Milotinova said work would begin intensively the day after the announcement Source: Infobae. The announcement came a day after the EBU introduced new rules that could prevent a winning country from hosting if security is compromised, a move seen as precautionary given Israel's recent near-wins Source: El Mundo.

Discrepancies

Sources differ on Burgas's population: ABC reports over 200,000, while El Confidencial states about 190,000 Source: ABC, El Confidencial. Distances to Sofia also vary: Infobae says 380 km, Euronews says about 400 km Source: Infobae, Euronews.