Victoria Swarovski, Michael Ostrowski to Host 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna

The Austrian public broadcaster ORF has officially named television personality Victoria Swarovski and actor Michael Ostrowski as the co-hosts for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest. The event is scheduled to take place in Vienna, Austria, in May 2026, following Austria's victory at the 2025 contest held in Basel, Switzerland. Austria earned hosting rights after the artist known as JJ secured the win with the song "Wasted Love," which achieved 436 points in the Grand Final on May 17, 2025.

The main venue for the 2026 contest will be the Wiener Stadthalle, an arena that previously hosted the competition in 2015. Swarovski, an established entrepreneur and television host, brings extensive on-screen experience, including a 2016 victory on the German program "Let's Dance" and her work as a host on the same show since 2018. Her career also includes a record deal with Sony Music at age 16 and collaboration with songwriter Diane Warren. Ostrowski is an acclaimed Austrian actor and director, known for his breakthrough role in the 2004 film *Nacktschnecken*. His presenting experience includes hosting the broadcast for "100 Years of Radio," for which he received the Austrian television award, the Romy.

ORF Programme Director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz confirmed the selection, describing the pair as "motivated, exciting and extraordinary personalities." The confirmed schedule for the 2026 event sets the two semi-final evenings for May 12 and May 14, with the Grand Final scheduled for May 16, 2026. All three live broadcasts are set to begin at 21:00 CEST. This anniversary edition is projected to draw a global viewership approaching 170 million viewers.

Structurally, the 70th anniversary contest will feature 35 participating countries, the lowest contingent since the semi-final format was introduced in 2003, following the withdrawal of five nations this year. Vienna, which previously hosted in 1967 and 2015, is positioned as a cultural center with robust infrastructure, including over 80,000 available hotel beds. The Eurovision Village, serving as the central public gathering space, will be located at the Rathausplatz, adjacent to the Vienna City Hall. JJ’s 2025 victory followed Austria’s previous win in 2014 by Conchita Wurst with "Rise Like a Phoenix."