Austrian national broadcaster ORF has revealed how Austria will choose its Eurovision 2027 artist and song, confirming a return to an internal selection process.

Just two days after ORF confirmed Austria’s participation in Eurovision 2027 in Bulgaria, the Austrian national broadcaster has officially unveiled its selection process for choosing the country’s next representative and song. According to ORF, Austria will return to an internal selection this year after using a televised national final to select its 2026 entry. What prompted the decision? Here are all the details.

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ORF Returns to an Internal Selection

The decision to abandon the national final follows Austria’s disappointing result at Eurovision 2026. Last year, ORF launched “Vienna Calling – Wer singt für Österreich?”, the country’s first televised Eurovision selection since 2016. However, the underwhelming outcome at the home contest in Vienna appears to have prompted a major rethink.

Singer Cosmó, who won the national final and represented host nation Austria with the club anthem “Tanzschein” (“Dance License”), failed to replicate the country’s recent Eurovision success. He finished 24th in the Grand Final with just six points – one point from the Luxembourg jury and five points from the German public vote.

Austria’s greatest Eurovision successes in recent years have all come through internal selections, most notably its victories in 2014 with Conchita Wurst and “Rise Like A Phoenix,” and in 2025 with JJ and “Wasted Love.”

After weeks of speculation that Austria would abandon its national final, ORF has now officially confirmed the move and opened the selection process for Eurovision 2027. The announcement puts an end to uncertainty surrounding the country’s selection method, as Austria returns to a model that has delivered major success in the past.

Song Submissions Open Until September

ORF announced that artists and songwriters wishing to represent Austria at Eurovision 2027 can submit their entries until September 20th, 2026.

Following an evaluation of all submissions, the strongest artists and songs will advance to an audition round scheduled for mid-October. The final decision will then be made by a professional jury consisting of senior ORF representatives alongside international music industry experts.

The Return of Cesár Sampson

According to reports, the ones leading the process of finding the next Austrian representative are Cesár Sampson, who brought Austria an impressive third place at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Nobody But You“, alongside media personality Peter Schreiber.

The two will head the judging panel that will review the songs and artists submitting their candidacy during the upcoming autumn. According to the expected schedule, the identity of the Austrian entry is expected to be revealed in late 2026 or early 2027, while the selected song will be revealed at a later, yet unknown date.