Just days after the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest concluded in Liverpool, there are already discussions about which Swedish city and venue will host the 2024 contest, a monumental honour as it also coincides with the 50th Anniversary of ABBA’s victory.
According to SVT, the City of Stockholm is eager to host the event next year; Karin Wanngård, the Financial City Commissioner of Stockholm, stated during Loreen’s homecoming concert that the city’s main target for a venue will be the Friends Arena. He said when interviewed at the Hemkosten event:
“Eurovision needs a big arena. To get a good party, you want a big audience, so of course, in that case it would primarily be Friends Arena.“
The last time Stockholm hosted the contest was back in 2016, where the Globen (Avicii Arena) was the chosen venue, however it is scheduled to be renovated, meaning it is not a viable option. If the Friends Arena is selected, it will be one of the biggest venues to host the contest ever, with a capacity of around 65,000 (however, capacity would be reduced for Eurovision).
Another possible option for Stockholm is the Tele2 Arena, which also boasts a huge 45,000 capacity. However, both venues may face pushback as Stockholm’s football teams have been vocal about not wanting to move out of their venues for the duration of April and May, which is a high season in the sport.
Other cities which could also enter the 2024 Eurovision Host City race are Malmo and Örnsköldsvik, however we will find out later in the year when the bidding process is officially opened. It is too early to call when the city and venue will be officially unveiled, however it is important to note that SVT unveiled the 2013 and 2016 Eurovision host in July.
Which city do you think should host the Eurovision Song Contest 2024? Have you been to any of the potential venues before?
