Michael Krön, Executive Producer of Eurovision 2026, has joined the Eurovision Song Contest’s Reference Group.
The Reference Group, the supervisory and decision-making body for strategic Eurovision Song Contest matters, welcomes a new member: Austrian Michael Krön, who will also serve as Executive Producer for Eurovision 2026.
Michael Krön – Who Are You?
Michael Krön began his career with the Austrian national broadcaster in 2000, initially as a producer in the Sports Division. From 2007 to 2010, he headed the Programming Department in ORF Information, subsequently leading the Education and Current Affairs Department. Since 2012, he has managed program development and quality assurance across Information, Documentary, Sports, and Cultural divisions. In 2018, Krön became responsible for finances in the ORF programming division, and since 2019, he has lectured at the university on “TV Program Planning and Production”.
The Reference Group’s Role
The Reference Group acts as the Eurovision “engine room”, overseeing, guiding, and making strategic decisions regarding the contest. Among its duties: production oversight, host city selection and approval, rule changes, crisis management, budgeting, and ensuring cultural diversity, fairness, and voting transparency. Established in 1998, the group convenes five to six times annually. Members are chosen by “geographic and professional representation”, with the aim to include public broadcasting representatives, leading producers, professional consultants, and figures from the European music industry.
Reference Group Members
Ana María Bordas (Spain) – Chairperson of the Reference Group.
Moritz Stadler (Switzerland) – Co-Executive Producer for Eurovision 2025.
Ebba Adielsson (Sweden) – Executive Producer of Eurovision 2024.
Rachel Ashdown (United Kingdom) – Former Head of the British Eurovision Delegation.
Carla Bugalho (Portugal) – Executive Producer of Eurovision 2018 and former Head of the Portuguese Eurovision Delegation.
Claudia Van Der Pas (The Netherlands) – Head of the Dutch Eurovision Delegation for 2025 and delegation leader in 2021.
Molly Plank (Denmark) – Former Head of the Danish Eurovision Delegation.
Tomislav Štengl (Croatia) – Former Head of the Croatian Eurovision Delegation and involved in “Dora”.
David Tserunyan (Armenia) – Former Head of the Armenian Eurovision Delegation.
Michael Krön (Austria) – will serve as Executive Producer of Eurovision 2026.
Eurovision 2025: The 69th Eurovision Song Contest was held in Basel, Switzerland on May 13th, 15th, and 17th. This was Switzerland’s third time hosting, last in Lausanne in 1989. The contest venue, “St. Jakobshalle”, accommodates 12,400 spectators. For the first time, Basel hosted Eurovision.
