Bulgaria government forms working group to prepare for hosting Eurovision 2027

Bulgaria moved from celebration to planning within days of its first Eurovision victory. Prime Minister Roumen Radev said at a regular cabinet meeting on May 20 that the government would set up an interdepartmental organising committee for the country's hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027. Eurovoix reported on May 21 that the working group would handle preparations for next year's contest, while Bulgarian state and local officials have already begun discussing venues, security and logistics. Bulgaria earned hosting rights after singer DARA won Eurovision 2026 in Vienna with "Bangaranga." ### When did the government say it was starting preparations? May 20 was the date the Bulgarian government publicly signaled the next phase. Radev said the interdepartmental committee would include all relevant ministers and would be headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov, according to Sofia Globe's account of the cabinet meeting. The same report said DARA, her team and the management of Bulgarian National Television, or BNT, would be invited to the cabinet office that week to coordinate preparations for hosting the contest in Bulgaria in 2027. Eurovoix separately reported on May 21 that the government had set up a working group for contest preparations. (sofiaglobe.com) ### What exactly is the state preparing to organize? Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev said on May 18 that the work covered "choosing a venue, security, logistics, marketing and advertising" and that BNT would be the broadcaster leading the hosting process. He said the state's role was to set up the organization and assign responsibilities clearly among institutions involved. (sofiaglobe.com) BNT Director General Milena Milotinova was due to visit the Culture Ministry on May 18 for initial talks related to hosting, Miloshev said. That placed the broadcaster and the government in direct coordination before the cabinet formally announced the interdepartmental structure two days later. ### Why is Bulgaria hosting Eurovision in the first place? (bta.bg) DARA won the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 on May 16 at Vienna's Wiener Stadthalle, giving Bulgaria its first ever victory in the competition, BTA reported. Her song "Bangaranga" collected 516 points, and BTA said she was the favourite of both the jury and the audience. BTA also reported that Bulgaria returned to Eurovision in 2026 after a three-year absence from 2023 through 2025. (bta.bg) At Sofia airport after the win, DARA said: "We have done something great for Bulgarian music," while Milotinova said Bulgaria was expected to host Eurovision next year. ### Which Bulgarian cities are already positioning themselves? Sofia, Varna, Burgas and Plovdiv have all expressed interest in hosting, according to Sofia Globe and BTA. (bta.bg) Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said earlier this week that the capital was Bulgaria's best prepared city to stage the contest. Miloshev said on May 18 that Sofia's capabilities were "unquestionably leading," but added that interest from Burgas, Plovdiv and Varna was "a good sign" and that all options should be considered before a final decision. (bta.bg) ### What kind of requirements will the host city have to meet? A host city must provide a venue for at least 10,000 spectators, a media centre for 1,500 journalists, a Euro Village fan zone and a covered, air-conditioned arena with enough technical space for staging and broadcasting, Sofia Globe reported. (sofiaglobe.com) Those conditions will shape the field of realistic bidders as Bulgaria moves from political coordination to a formal host-city process. (bta.bg) Funding is also starting to enter the discussion. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Gulub Donev said on May 18 that money would be allocated in the draft 2027 budget for hosting Eurovision, though no estimate was given, according to Sofia Globe. ### What comes next in the hosting process? This week, the immediate next step is coordination between the cabinet, BNT, DARA's team and the ministries involved in the organising committee, according to Radev and Miloshev. (sofiaglobe.com) A later decision will be needed on the host city, with Sofia, Varna, Burgas and Plovdiv already in the frame and the 2027 state budget expected to include funding for the event.