Eurovision 2023: Liverpool named on Eurovision cities shortlist - what happens next, how to get tickets

Liverpool is among seven locations shortlisted to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, after an official announcement took place this morning.

The shortlist was revealed by Zoe Ball on her BBC Radio 2 show, with city leaders having already made an official bid to host the event earlier this week.

Speaking about the bid, Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, Councillor Harry Doyle, said “Making a major event like this possible in such a short time frame 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.”

Expressions of interest to host the 2023 event were made by 20 cities across the UK but the seven finalists all demonstrated the ability to “meet a set of minimum requirements that demonstrate they have the capacity, capability and experience to host an event of this scale and complexity.”

Liverpool and the remaining cities will enter a second and final stage in the bidding, where they will be asked to develop their bids in more detail.

The selection of the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will be decided by the BBC in conjunction with the EBU, and the successful city will be announced in the Autumn.

What other cities are shortlisted for Eurovision 2023?

Alongside Liverpool, the other cities in the running to host Eurovision 2023 include Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and Birmingham.

Birmingham was the last UK city to host the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1998 due to the UK winning the 1997 edition through Katrina and The Waves’ entry, Love Shine A Light.

In the past, London has held the Eurovision song contest on four separate occasions, while Edinburgh, Brighton and Harrogate have all hosted the event in its history.

What criteria does the host city need to meet to host Eurovision 2023?

A decision as to which of the seven shortlisted cities will host the singing competition will be determined by which one scores the highest against an agreed evaluation criteria.

The BBC has put forward their expectations of a host city for Eurovision 2023:

• A suitable venue or arena with sufficient space to deliver the requirements to host the Eurovision Song Contest
• Commitment to be made by the city to host the competition, including a financial contribution
• Strength of the cultural offer of the city, involving off-screen local and regional activity as well as showcasing the culture and music of 2021 winners Ukraine
• Alignment with the BBC’s strategic priorities as a public service broadcaster, such as providing value to all audiences and supporting the creative economy in the United Kingdom

Where could the Eurovision 2023 finals take place?

As the EBU have stated that the host city needs to have the capacity, capability and experience to host the event, the MandS Bank Arena could be the key to Liverpool hosting the 2023 event.

With a capacity of 11,000, the arena has played host to large international acts and continues to do so, with Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle and George Ezra shows coming up later in the year .

Why is Eurovision 2023 taking place in the UK?

Usually the winners of a previous year’s competition will host the competition the following year, however the 2022 winners, Kalush Orchestra, are from the Ukraine.

With the current situation in the country, Eurovision organisers stated that the event would be held elsewhere due to security concerns.

With the UK placing second in the competition, thanks to the earworm Spaceman by Sam Ryder, the EBU and BBC discussed hosting the event on British soil.

The organisers however have been quick to point out that regardless of the location of the final, that “all applicants demonstrated how they would reflect Ukrainian culture, music and communities to mark the fact that Ukraine are the winners of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.”

How do I get tickets for Eurovision 2023?

Eurovision has stressed fans to relax and enjoy the summer - tickets won’t be on sale until the host city is confirmed in the Autumn.

The Eurovision website states that: “Ticket prices, availability, and even the ticket provider, won’t be decided until there is a confirmed Host City and venue for the shows.”

“That’s not all, the BBC will then need to work out how much space is needed for the production inside the chosen venue such as cameras and the stage. All that is dependent on the chosen venue and can’t be confirmed in advance.”

Once all that is decided, tickets for nine shows will go on sale:

Grand Final: Live TV Show [Saturday evening]; Jury Show [Friday evening]; Family Show [Saturday afternoon].