Just last week, it was confirmed by the EBU that Ukraine will not be able to host Eurovision 2023, and that runners-up of the 2022 contest, The United Kingdom, have been offered hosting rights.
In the wake of this announcement, and with the possibility of the Eurovision Song Contest returning to the United Kingdom for the first time since 1998, many cities across the country expressed their interest in wanting to host the contest: Brighton; Glasgow; Leeds; London and Manchester.
Since then, Aberdeen in Scotland and Belfast in Northern Ireland have come forward to express their interest in hosting Eurovision 2023.
Aberdeen
A total of Six MPs and MSPs have backed Aberdeen’s bid to potentially host Eurovision 2023: Audrey Nicoll; Jackie Dunbar; Kevin Stuart; Kirsty Blackman; Richard Thompson and Stephen Flynn.
Aberdeen boasts the fifth largest arena in the United Kingdom, the P&J Live Complex, which has a capacity of 15,000. The city has an international airport and good transport links throughout the city.
Bring Eurovision to Aberdeen!
— Kirsty Blackman (@KirstySNP) June 17, 2022
Also, hashtag suggestions welcome. Best so far probably #EuROWIEvision pic.twitter.com/zvR1ZIjUz1
Belfast
Belfast Councillors Anthony Flynn and Seamas De Faoite have written to the chief executives of Belfast City Council, and Visit Belfast, for them to consider Belfast as a potential host city for Eurovision 2023.
Anthony and Seamas, who are councillors for The Green Party and SDLP respectively believe that Belfast is ready to host Eurovision, should the contest come to the United Kingdom.
“We are writing to you to urge that Belfast City Council and Visit Belfast play a full part in promoting Belfast as the UK destination for hosting Eurovision 2023. Belfast is already well equipped to host an event like Eurovision, with the appropriate venue capacity and accommodation available, as well as transport links around the city and beyond…
…The Eurovision song contest is watched by millions of fans around the world and host countries often use the opportunity to promote their countryside, towns and cities beyond the host city limits, so not only would this be a huge opportunity for Belfast, but also for the whole of Northern Ireland to be shown off on the world stage…
…Belfast already has a successful history of hosting large global events, such as the Giro d’Italia in 2014 or the MTV EMA awards in 2011. We believe it is time for Belfast to take centre stage again in 2023, and we can get Douze points!”
Former DUP Economy Minister Simon Hamilton, is also very much in favour of Belfast having the potential to host Eurovision in 2023, as he explains on his official Twitter account.
With UNESCO City of Music status recently secured and a great track record of hosting large scale events, Belfast would be the perfect host city for #Eurovision #ESC2023 https://t.co/PQfV0WQRW6
— Simon Hamilton (@SimonHamilton) June 17, 2022
If the United Kingdom does host Eurovision 2023, do you think the contest could be come to either Aberdeen or Belfast? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
