BNT announces plans to host Eurovision 2027

Milena Milotinova moved Bulgaria’s Eurovision 2027 planning from celebration to logistics within 24 hours of the country’s first win. On May 17, the BNT director general told the official winners’ press conference, “Welcome to Sofia next year,” after DARA won Eurovision 2026 for Bulgaria with “Bangaranga.” On May 18, Milotinova and Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev held what BNT described as their first operational meeting on hosting preparations. The European Broadcasting Union, or EBU, has not publicly confirmed a host city or venue for the 2027 contest. ### Did BNT actually say Bulgaria intends to host? BNT said on May 18 that Bulgaria “will see the country host the event in 2027,” in its report on the first meeting between Milotinova and Miloshev. Milotinova said the win “obliges Bulgaria to build on its success” and that BNT would rely on state institutions that could assist with hosting. (bntnews.bg) Milotinova had already signaled that intent on May 17. At the winners’ press conference, she thanked BNT’s team and said, “Welcome to Sofia next year,” a line carried by BNT’s English-language report. ESCToday also cited her as saying, “The hosting next year is ours!” in a separate account of post-victory remarks. ### Why is Sofia being treated as the front-runner? (bntnews.bg) Sofia entered the conversation first through Milotinova’s own wording. Her “Welcome to Sofia next year” remark was the clearest public signal from BNT that the capital is the focal point for current planning. Eurovoix’s Eurovision 2027 coverage also shows Sofia already in the formal bid conversation. Its archive lists a May 17 report saying Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev confirmed the capital would bid to host, alongside later reports on other Bulgarian cities expressing interest. (bntnews.bg) That does not amount to an EBU decision, but it places Sofia at the center of the early domestic process. ### Which other Bulgarian cities are trying to get into the race? (bntnews.bg) Burgas publicly declared interest on May 18. ESCToday reported that Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said Burgas wanted to host Eurovision 2027 and pointed to Arena Burgas, which the report said has concert capacity of up to 15,000. Nikolov wrote that Sofia would be “a wonderful host” but said Burgas would “give our all” to stage the contest. (eurovoix.com) Eurovoix’s Eurovision 2027 archive indicates Burgas is not alone. The site’s May 18 listings show separate items for Varna expressing interest and for Plovdiv intending to bid, suggesting Bulgaria’s host-city process is widening beyond the capital and one coastal challenger. ### What has the Bulgarian government said it will do next? Evtim Miloshev said on May 18 that the Council of Ministers and BNT would begin creating an organizational framework later this week. (esctoday.com) BNT said that work would cover venue selection, financing, logistics, marketing, promotion, television production, accompanying events and tourism infrastructure. (eurovoix.com) The same BNT report said Miloshev wants the work to start “as soon as possible” and said Bulgaria’s hosting should match the standards set by Austria, which staged Eurovision 2026. That makes the next step a government-backed organizing structure rather than an immediate host-city announcement. ### Has the EBU chosen a host city or venue yet? (bntnews.bg) The EBU has confirmed in past contests that it can appoint or approve hosts, including when it said in 2022 that the United Kingdom would stage Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine. No equivalent EBU confirmation surfaced in available official Eurovision sources for a 2027 Bulgarian host city or venue as of May 19. That means Sofia’s status remains political and practical, not official. (bntnews.bg) This week’s next formal marker is in Sofia and in government offices rather than at the EBU. BNT said the Council of Ministers and the broadcaster will begin setting up the hosting structure this week, with venue selection and financing among the first named tasks. (bntnews.bg) (eurovision.tv)