Bulgaria sets up interdepartmental task force to organise Eurovision 2027

Prime Minister Roumen Radev said on May 20 that Bulgaria is setting up an interdepartmental organising committee to prepare for hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, according to The Sofia Globe. The move came days after Bulgarian singer DARA won the 2026 contest in Vienna with “Bangaranga,” giving Bulgaria the right to host next year’s edition. State broadcaster BNT has already begun talks with government officials about staging the event in Bulgaria next May, ESCXTRA reported. Two cities — Sofia and Burgas — have publicly declared interest in hosting. ### Who announced the task force, and what did he say? Roumen Radev made the announcement at a regular cabinet meeting on May 20, The Sofia Globe reported. The report said the Bulgarian government would create an interdepartmental organising committee for the country’s hosting of Eurovision 2027. The Sofia Globe said the committee would coordinate preparations across government as Bulgaria begins planning for its first time hosting the contest on home soil. The report tied the decision directly to DARA’s victory in the 2026 competition. ### What has BNT done so far? BNT, Bulgaria’s national broadcaster, has already held a first planning meeting with Bulgarian government officials, according to ESCXTRA. The outlet said the meeting confirmed the broadcaster’s intention to host Eurovision 2027 in Bulgaria next May. ESCXTRA reported that the talks began immediately after Bulgaria’s win and involved early coordination between the broadcaster and state authorities. That follows the standard Eurovision process in which the winning broadcaster works with public authorities and the European Broadcasting Union on venue, logistics and financing. ### Which cities want to host the contest? Burgas has declared interest in hosting Eurovision 2027, ESCXTRA reported on May 20. The outlet said the Black Sea city wants to put itself forward as the site of Bulgaria’s first Eurovision as host nation. Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, has also formally declared interest, according to a separate ESCXTRA report published the same day. That leaves at least two named contenders in the early stage of the host-city race. ### Why is Sofia getting so much attention? Sofia has been described by Eurovision-focused outlets as an early favorite because of its infrastructure, hotel capacity and arena options. ESCXTRA reported the capital’s formal interest, while other fan-focused coverage cited venue readiness and transport links as reasons it is viewed as a strong candidate. Euromix, cited in the broader reporting around the bid process, said many fans and organisers currently see Sofia as the consensus favorite. That assessment was attributed to those outlets and has not been presented by Bulgarian authorities as an official ranking. ### What happens next in the hosting process? The next formal step is expected to be a host-city selection process run by BNT with government involvement, following the creation of the organising committee and the first planning meeting. Neither The Sofia Globe nor ESCXTRA reported a final deadline for choosing the host city. Next May is the current target for the 2027 contest, according to ESCXTRA’s account of the BNT-government meeting. That means Bulgarian authorities, BNT and prospective host cities including Sofia and Burgas are likely to move from declarations of interest to venue and infrastructure planning in the coming months.