Austria’s public broadcaster will hold a national selection show to determine its entry for the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, ORF Program Director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz confirmed in an interview with Kurier.
The announcement comes as ORF prepares for a challenging year in 2026, which includes broadcasting both the Eurovision Song Contest and the FIFA World Cup. To help finance the Eurovision project, ORF has cancelled its spring season of “Dancing Stars” and postponed the fall edition of “Die große Chance der Blasmusik.”
Groiss-Horowitz said the selection process will involve high audience participation. The broadcaster will also produce new documentaries that examine the history and development of the contest. A team will be named by the end of the year.
Austria’s entry for the 2025 contest was chosen internally. According to the interview, the return to a public selection marks a shift in strategy aimed at increasing engagement and viewership.
In addition to the national selection, Groiss-Horowitz confirmed that ORF is expanding its digital programming and continuing co-productions with German broadcasters to adapt to changing viewer behavior. Streaming platform ORF On will play a larger role in content delivery, including music and entertainment formats.
The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Austria following JJ winning the 2025 edition. Details regarding dates, venue, and Austria’s selection show format will be released in the coming months.
