The European Broadcasting Union and Bulgarian National Television announced this week that Burgas, a port city on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, will host the 71st Eurovision Song Contest in May 2027 — the first time Bulgaria has staged the competition since it began entering in 2005.
Burgas was selected after a monthslong bidding process in which four Bulgarian cities — Burgas, Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna — applied to host. Plovdiv and Varna were eliminated in an early round, leaving Burgas to compete against the capital, Sofia, for the final decision. According to the EBU's announcement, an international working group assessed each finalist's venue capacity, technical infrastructure, accommodation, transport links and overall vision for staging the event, and judged Burgas the stronger combination.
"Burgas brings something really special to the Eurovision Song Contest. It is a vibrant, welcoming city on the Black Sea with a strong musical and cultural identity."
Martin Green, Eurovision Song Contest Director
Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov framed the selection as a national rather than local moment, saying: "This is not about one city hosting Eurovision. This is Bulgaria hosting Eurovision — an entire community, united and inspired."
A first win, now a first hosting
Bulgaria earned the right to host after singer Dara won the 2026 contest in Vienna with "Bangaranga," the country's first Eurovision victory. The Vienna final was itself marked by controversy, with five countries boycotting the broadcast over Israel's participation amid its military campaign in Gaza; Israel's entry nonetheless finished second in the public vote.
The 2027 contest will run from May 10 to 15, with semifinals on Tuesday, May 11, and Thursday, May 13, and the grand final on Saturday, May 15, alongside a series of preview and pre-party shows. The competition will be staged at Arena Burgas, a multipurpose indoor venue that opened in 2023 and is the city's newest major facility — an upgrade organizers say gave Burgas an edge over Sofia's older municipal venues.
BNT Director General Milena Milotinova said the broadcaster intends to use the contest to showcase "the very best of our culture, hospitality and professionalism." Past hosts have seen a measurable economic lift from staging the event: organizers of the 2025 contest in Basel, Switzerland, estimated it generated roughly €58 million in local economic activity, and this year's edition in Vienna drew an estimated 88,000 additional visitors to the Austrian capital.
