Stockholm has expressed interest in hosting Eurovision 2026, as Sweden’s 2025 representative, the band KAJ, is currently the favorite to win according to betting odds.
The band KAJ, Sweden’s representative for Eurovision 2025 with their song “Bara Bada Bastu,” is predicted by betting sites to potentially win the contest tomorrow. In anticipation, Sweden is preparing for the possibility of hosting Eurovision for the eighth time, and the capital city, Stockholm, has expressed its interest in hosting the event.
Stockholm’s Bid and Venue Availability
In an interview with the news outlet Dagens Nyheter, Stockholm city official Karin Wanngård stated:
“We would be happy to host, provided the financial conditions are right. We are used to major events. Our main arenas, Avicii (formerly Globen) and Strawberry (formerly Friends), are booked in advance-but at least we know Taylor Swift won’t be coming,” she joked. Last year, due in part to a Taylor Swift concert at one of Stockholm’s venues, the contest was ultimately held in the controversial city of Malmö.
Stockholm last hosted Eurovision in 2016, as well as in 1975 and 2000. The city also submitted a bid to host the 2024 contest, but the proposal was withdrawn due to venue unavailability. However, Stockholm is not the only Swedish city interested in hosting Eurovision. Gothenburg and Örnsköldsvik have also indicated their willingness to host the next contest if Sweden wins.
Financial Concerns for Hosting Eurovision 2026
Yesterday, it was reported that the Swedish national broadcaster, SVT, is concerned about the financial implications of hosting Eurovision next year. The broadcaster may consider reducing costs by scaling down the stage and lighting, given that SVT lost approximately 100 million kronor (about 9,000,000 Euro) from hosting Eurovision 2024, largely due to the high costs associated with organizing the event.
Sweden at Eurovision 2025:
“Bara bada bastu” (in English: “Just take a sauna”) is the title of the song that will be performed by band KAJ, who will represent Sweden in the Grand Final of Eurovision 2025, taking place on May 17th in Basel, Switzerland. The song was written by the band members – Kevin Holmström, Axel Åhman, and Jakob Norrgård – along with Anderz Wrethov, Kristoffer Strandberg, and Robert Skowronski.
Wrethov is no stranger to the Eurovision world, having written numerous Eurovision songs, including “We Will Rave” by Kaleen, who represented Austria in Eurovision 2024, “Fuego” by Eleni Foureira, who represented Cyprus in Eurovision 2018 and finished in second place, and “Voices” by Tusse, Sweden’s representative in Eurovision 2021. The song is performed in Finnish and Swedish.
Nowadays, Sweden leads the betting odds with 42% chance to win Eurovision 2025.
KAJ – Who Are You?
KAJ is a Swedish-Finnish music and comedy group from Vörå, Ostrobothnia, Finland, consisting of Kevin Holmström, Axel Åhman, and Jakob Norrgård. The group’s name is derived from the initials of its members’ first names. They are known for their humorous performances and songs primarily in Swedish, particularly in the Vörå dialect.
The group has released several albums, including “Professionella Pjasalappar” (2012), “Lokalproducerat Pjas” (2014), “Kom ti byin” (2016), “Gambämark” (2018), “Botnia Paradise” (2021), and “Karar i arbeit” (2024).
Eurovision 2025: This will be Sweden’s 63rd participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Sweden joined the competition in 1958 and has won it seven times over the years. Sweden’s most recent victory was at Eurovision 2023 with the song “Tattoo,” performed by the singer Loreen.
Sources: Dagens Nyheter, Eurovisionfun.
