Bulgaria's Black Sea city Burgas selected to host Eurovision Song Contest 2027

Host city selected

The European Broadcasting Union and Bulgaria's public broadcaster BNT announced on August 13 that Burgas, a Black Sea port city, will host the 71st Eurovision Song Contest in May 2027. The decision gives Bulgaria its first turn as host after singer Dara won the country's inaugural Eurovision title in May 2026 with the party anthem "Bangaranga," beating 24 other competitors in a final held in Vienna. Burgas was chosen over the capital Sofia in a competitive selection process that also included Plovdiv and Varna. A working group of EBU and BNT representatives, together with international experts who had worked on previous contests, evaluated venues, technical requirements, accommodation, transport and each city's capacity to receive thousands of artists, delegates, journalists and fans. Burgas and Sofia were the two finalists. The choice of Burgas came as a surprise to some, as both Milotinova and Dara had publicly expressed expectation in May that Sofia would host, with Dara calling it her hometown.

Venue and schedule

The contest will be held at Arena Burgas, a sports and entertainment complex opened in 2023 with a capacity of up to 15,000 spectators. The two semi-finals are scheduled for May 11 and 13, 2027, with the grand final on May 15. During Eurovision week, Burgas will also host the Eurovision Village, an open public zone, and the EuroClub, a venue for themed parties for eurofans. Burgas, Bulgaria's fourth-largest city with a population of 180,000 according to the EBU, is known for its beaches, parks and summer cultural events. The city sits approximately 360 kilometres from Sofia, a distance the EBU weighed alongside transport accessibility from other countries.

Official reactions

Eurovision director Martin Green praised the selection of Burgas in a statement.

Burgas will bring something truly special to Eurovision.

He described it as a dynamic and welcoming city on the Black Sea coast with a strong musical and cultural identity, possessing the ambition, infrastructure and passion needed to welcome the Eurovision family. Green said organizers aim to create something "truly Bulgarian" yet unmistakably recognizable as Eurovision, a celebration that brings people together through music. BNT head Milena Milotinova said the broadcaster faces intensive joint work with the EBU and Burgas to organize a contest that meets the expectations of millions of viewers worldwide. Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov called hosting the contest an honor for the city. BNT's ambition is for Eurovision 2027 to extend beyond a single city, with Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna participating in a complementary program.

New rules and boycott aftermath

The announcement follows new rules introduced by Eurovision organizers on August 12 that bar countries affected by armed conflict or security risks from hosting the contest. The winning broadcaster becomes ineligible to host if an armed conflict, sensitive geopolitical situation or other circumstances threaten the security of the country or surrounding region. The rules also raised the minimum age for competitors from 16 to 18, aimed at safeguarding younger artists from the pressures of competing. The 2026 contest in Vienna was overshadowed by a boycott from five longtime participants: Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia, who protested over Israel's military offensive in Gaza. Israel again secured second place in the public vote.

Tourism ripple effects

Romanian travel agencies have already begun preparing special packages for fans, citing Burgas's geographic proximity as an opportunity for a spring mini-holiday on the Bulgarian coast. Lucian Bădîrcea, CEO of IRI Travel, a tour operator specializing in Bulgaria, said the event holds particular significance for the country.

For Bulgaria, organizing Eurovision represents one of the most important international events in recent decades. For Romanian tourists it is an excellent opportunity to combine passion for music, entertainment and discovering a destination very close to home.

He said the Bulgarian coast has many quality hotels and accommodation options, and that Eurovision will create another mini-holiday opportunity for Romanian tourists alongside the traditional Easter and May 1 holidays. Packages will include chartered coach trips from major Romanian cities, individual car-travel options, accommodation in Burgas and neighboring resorts, transfers to the arena, Romanian-language assistance and cultural or gastronomic programs.