Eurovision Song Contest 2023: Which cities are Liverpool competing with? When is final shortlist announced?

The Eurovision Song Contest will be held in the UK next year, after Sam Ryder won second place with his popular song, Space Man.

Rap-folk band Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 competition for Ukraine but the nation are unable to host next year’s event due to the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Liverpool have now officially submitted its bid to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023.

The city has entered the first phase of the two-step bidding process and hopes to make a shortlist of potential cities that will be announced on BBC Radio 2 on Friday by the European Broadcasting Union.

Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “We are excited to have submitted a bid for Liverpool to host Eurovision 2023.

“Making a major event like this possible in such a short timeframe is complicated and is going to need some careful and creative planning, but we think Liverpool would be the perfect stage to celebrate this unique Eurovision.

“We look forward to finding out if we have been successful in getting through to the next stage of the process.”

Several cities are eager to host the huge event, with Eurovision not coming to the UK since 1998.

Which cities are Liverpool competing against?

Other cities bidding to host Eurovision include Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol, Sheffield and Belfast.

The winner will be decided through a two-stage process, based on the city’s capacity and capability.

The critea explains that the city must have a venue able to accommodate 10,000 spectators, hotels for 2,000 delegates, journalists and spectators, a press centre for 1,500 journalists and an international airport.

Why should Eurovision come to Liverpool?

Liverpool submitted an initial offer last month, with Mayor Joanne Anderson arguing, “we are an events city and no one can stage a party like us.”

She added, “culture is synonymous with Liverpool and we tick all the boxes to be next year’s host – great venues, enviable experience, a world-renowned music heritage, UNESCO City of Music status and of course the warm Scouse welcome that just can’t be beaten.”

As England’s only UNESCO City of Music, Liverpool boasts a spectacular events calendar and diverse music scene.

When will the shortlist be announced?

The shortlist is to be announced on Friday 12 August, as part of BBC Radio 2’s breakfast programme.

If Liverpool is successfully selected, the city will find out if they have been chosen as host in the Autumn.

Where would Liverpool host the event?

Exhibition Centre Liverpool, ACC Liverpool and M&S Bank Arena are candidates to host Eurovision, offering large capacity and a range of hotels within walking distance.

However, the BBC report that no large arena in the UK currently has enough of a gap in its event listings to host Eurovision next year.

Council officials say that organisers have informed them that a venue would be needed by producers six to eight weeks ahead of the song contest.

The M&S Bank Arena, for example have the folling acts currently booked in for April and May 2023: Elton John, Magic Mike, Reminisce in Concert, Michael Starring Ben and André Rieu.

When will Eurovision 2023 take place?

The contest is likely to be held in May 2023, with semi-finals taking place during the week.

The BBC will announce official dates following a decision on where the event will be held.