Eurovision 2023: Birmingham on Eurovision cities shortlist – what happens next, how to get tickets

The second stage of the host city bidding process for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest has officially begun today, with seven cities shortlisted for the next round, including Birmingham.

The BBC had expressions of interest from 20 cities across all four nations of the United Kingdom, but there can only be one host for Eurovision, and there’s now a decent chance it could be Birmingham with the city making the final seven.

Birmingham City Council Leader, Councillor Ian Ward, said: “To host such an iconic event would be a tremendous honour for our city, especially in light of such a difficult and challenging time for Ukraine.

“Our hearts go out to them and as a city we are eager to lend our support in any way that we can. The Concert for Ukraine, held at Resorts World Arena back in March, really showed how music can unite us even in the most uncertain and troublesome of times.

“We’re ready to step up to the occasion for the people of Ukraine and make music fans from across the world proud.”

The BBC considers the representation of Ukraine in the 2023 Grand Final extremely important, and the desire to fulfil this has been made clear by all seven cities hoping to host it.

Kate Phillips, BBC’s Director of Unscripted Content said: “We would like to thank all of the cities and regions that submitted bids to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. We have seven fantastic cities that we are taking through to the next round. It’s exciting to see such a breadth of bids going through from across the UK.”

Here’s everything you need to know about what happens next in the Eurovision 2023 host city bid, including when the host city will be announced and where in Birmingham it would be hosted.

What happens next?

The host city selection process is a two-stage process and the seven cities that have made it this far will now enter the second and final stage. In this stage, each city - including Birmingham - will be asked to develop their bids in more detail.

The seven cities will be determined by which city scores highest against the agreed evaluation criteria, assessed by the BBC. These criteria include: having a suitable venue and sufficient space, the financial contribution, and the strength of the cultural offer which includes off-screen local and regional activity.

It also includes the extent of showcasing Ukrainian culture and music and the alignment with the BBC’s strategic priorities as a public service broadcaster.

The final decision, and ultimately the selection of the host city, will be decided by the BBC in conjunction with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

When will the host of Eurovision 2023 be announced?

The BBC has announced the final decision will be made in Autumn 2022, and the winning host city will be revealed in the same period.

Where in Birmingham would Eurovision be hosted?

If Birmingham were to win the bid to host Eurovision 2023, it would be held at Resorts World Arena. The venue, which was opened in 1980, has a capacity of 15,885 and it’s located right next to Birmingham Airport - to the east of the city.

When is Eurovision 2023?

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in the United Kingdom in May 2023. The exact dates, times and details on how to get tickets will be announced after the host city has been determined.

How to get tickets for Eurovision 2023

The ticket prices, availability and ticket provider won’t be decided until there is a confirmed host city and venue for the shows preceding the grand final in May 2023.

Even at that stage, the available number of tickets will take a little longer to decide while the BBC evaluates how much space is needed for the production inside the venue.

This is because the Eurovision Song Contest is a live TV production and some sections of the seating may need to be altered to make way for cameras.

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].
• First Semi-Final: Live TV Show [Tuesday evening]; Jury Show [Monday evening]; Family Show [Tuesday afternoon].
• Second Semi Final: Live TV Show [Thursday evening]; Jury Show [Wednesday evening]; Family Show [Thursday afternoon].