Infrastructure and City Advantages

Protesters argue that choosing Burgas over the capital is difficult to justify for an event of Eurovision’s scale. In explanatory statements released by the protest organizers, they highlight Sofia’s prominent advantages:

• Accommodation capacity: The country’s biggest accommodation capacity.

• City infrastructure: An extensive transport network capable of handling tens of thousands of tourists.

• Main arena: Sofia’s largest arena, meeting European Broadcasting Union (EBU) standards.

• Transport and accessibility: An international airport with a direct metro connection to the city center.

Beyond the technical details, protesters point out that Bulgaria received a historic opportunity to present itself to an international audience after the victory of the singer DARA at Eurovision 2026. DARA herself had publicly expressed a preference for Sofia as the host city. “And yet Burgas was chosen,” the organizers say, questioning the criteria used in the selection and whether political considerations played a role.

Politics Behind the Scenes?

According to the protesters, the issue goes beyond a competition between Sofia and Burgas. They argue that Sofia may have been overlooked because it is governed by politicians who are not aligned with the current ruling forces, warning that Eurovision could be used as a tool for political positioning ahead of the presidential and local elections.

“It is increasingly difficult to hide the feeling that Sofia is being punished because it is not governed by the ‘right’ people,” the organizers said. They insist that Sofia residents should not bear the consequences of political conflicts, declaring: “Sofia will not be held hostage by party headquarters!”

Eurovision as a Celebration of Music

The protesters are calling on citizens to defend what they describe as the city’s legitimate opportunity to host the contest, stressing that Eurovision should be a celebration of music and an opportunity to showcase Bulgaria, rather than another arena for political confrontation.

“Eurovision was supposed to be a celebration of talent and an opportunity for our country,” they said, arguing that the decision should have been based on the capabilities of the competing cities rather than political considerations.

It should be noted that despite Burgas winning the host city bid, Sofia is still expected to attract many tourists and gain international exposure thanks to Eurovision. In a post published yesterday on the official Instagram account of Sofia – Visit Sofia, local officials congratulated Burgas on winning the race while presenting Sofia as a desirable travel destination worth visiting for fans arriving in Bulgaria next May. A last-minute transfer of hosting duties from Burgas to Sofia would be an extraordinarily unusual move and is not expected to occur.

 

הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם

 

‏‎פוסט משותף על ידי ‏‎Visit Sofia Official ®‎‏ (@‏‎visit__sofia‎‏)‎‏

Yesterday (Wednesday), it was revealed that Burgas won the bid to host the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest, overtaking Sofia’s proposal. This will mark the first time Bulgaria hosts Eurovision, following the historic victory of DARA at Eurovision 2026, which took place in Vienna, Austria, last May.

Alongside the announcement of the host city, the dates for the contest were also revealed:

• First Semi-Final: May 11th (Tuesday)

• Second Semi-Final: May 13th (Thursday)

• Grand Final: May 15th (Saturday)

For Burgas, this will be the first time hosting a Eurovision event, whereas Sofia previously hosted Junior Eurovision in 2015. The designated venue, “Arena Burgas”, can accommodate around 15,000 spectators during music shows. Unlike last year, the host city is not the capital of the winning country – a trend seen in contests between 2019 and 2025.

Burgas is the fourth-largest city in the country, with a population of approximately 189,086 as of December 2025.

According to a poll conducted on the EuroMix website, 67.62% of respondents selected Sofia as the most suitable city to host the competition. However, it appears that the European Broadcasting Union and BNT did not agree with the EuroMix audience’s choice, believing instead that Burgas possesses the appropriate infrastructure to host the contest.