The Austrian national broadcaster ORF announced that German-Jewish designer Florian Wieder will continue shaping Eurovision in 2026, completing three consecutive years as the main stage designer.
The German-Jewish designer Florian Wieder, considered one of the world’s leading stage designers, has created dozens of stages for major ceremonies and television programs worldwide. His projects include X Factor, American Idol, the MTV Awards, and no fewer than nine Eurovision stages to date (among them Eurovision 2019 in Israel and Eurovision 2020, which was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). It has now been confirmed that he will return for a tenth time to design the stage of Eurovision 2026.
When asked about his previous Eurovision stage designs, Wieder explained:
“In order to decide who designs the Eurovision stage, there are sometimes tenders, but sometimes specific people are invited for the role. Eurovision is an enormous event in scale and significance, and occasionally the decision about the designer also has to be considered from a patriotic perspective”.
Wieder was responsible for designing the following Eurovision stages:
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Stage of Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Eurovision 2011 – Düsseldorf, Germany.
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Eurovision 2012 – Baku, Azerbaijan.
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Eurovision 2015 – Vienna, Austria.
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Eurovision 2017 – Kyiv, Ukraine.
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Eurovision 2018 – Lisbon, Portugal.
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Eurovision 2019 – Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Eurovision 2020 & Eurovision 2021 – Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Eurovision 2024 – Malmö, Sweden.
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Eurovision 2025 – Basel, Switzerland.
Florian Wieder: Inspired by Host Nations
In recent years, Florian Wieder has often drawn inspiration from both the geographical and cultural characteristics of the host country when designing the Eurovision stage. For example, for Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, he integrated design features reminiscent of the iconic Alps, creating a dynamic and immersive viewing experience.
Wieder is a veteran stage designer with a career spanning 30 years, working alongside international superstars such as Beyoncé, Robbie Williams, U2, and Ed Sheeran. Recently, he also developed the concept for a temporary stadium built exclusively for the concert series of British pop icon Adele in Munich, further highlighting his prestigious reputation in the entertainment industry.
Eurovision 2026: The 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Austria, following the country’s third historic win with the song “Wasted Love” performed by JJ. This will be the third time the contest is hosted in Austria, after 1967 and 2015.
