The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have confirmed that it will be held in Britain next year.
The organizers of the competition decided that the event could not be held in the winning country, Ukraine, due to the ongoing war following the Russian invasion.
It is not yet known which city will host the competition, but cities including Glasgow, Manchester and Bristol have expressed interest.
Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Birmingham, Aberdeen, London, Brighton, Bristol, Belfast and Cardiff are among the cities expressing interest in hosting Eurovision.
Cities will have to prove they have the appropriate facilities and go through the bidding process, which will begin this week.
Ukraine will automatically qualify for the Grand Final, as is customary for the winner, along with the so-called Big Five, including Britain.
“I am confident that together we will be able to add the Ukrainian spirit to this event and unite the whole of Europe once again around our common values of peace, support and celebration of diversity and talent,” said the head of the Ukrainian Public Broadcasting Corporation, Mykola Chernotsky.
The European Broadcasting Union said the host venue should accommodate about 10,000 spectators, be close to an international airport and have enough hotel accommodations for at least 2,000 delegates, journalists and viewers.
“The decision was guided by the EBU’s responsibility to ensure that conditions are met to ensure the safety and security of all event workers and participants, and planning must begin immediately in the host country,” he added.
Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 competition last May in a symbolic show of public support, while Britain’s Sam Ryder came in second, the best result in the country since 1998.
The winning country usually hosts the competition next year, but the European Broadcasting Union said Ukraine would not host the competition due to the conflict there.
The announcement last month was met with disappointment by Ukraine’s Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko, who issued a statement “demanding a change of decision”. Ukrainian radio also expressed its disappointment.