site.btaSofia Ready and Eager to Host Eurovision Song Contest 2027, Sofia Mayor Says

Sofia is ready to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said on bTV’s morning programme. "I have great respect for my colleagues, and I know that they, too, would do a wonderful job with any event, but the scale of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) requires it to be held in Sofia," Terziev added. He emphasized that the city has a significantly larger venue, which is one of the key factors in selecting a host city, ample accommodation, and an airport with greater capacity, which is also important in the selection process. 

The mayor said that on Monday there was a meeting with Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev and Bulgarian National Television (BNT) Director General Milena Milotinova. "A number of organizational steps have already been set in motion, but the first step is selecting the city," Terziev explained, expressing his conviction that Sofia is best prepared, though a formal decision from BNT and the state is still pending before actual preparations can begin. "We have an enormous amount of work ahead of us that must be done jointly by institutions, the state, the city, and the media, a major challenge," Terziev added. 

Asked for a rough estimate of how much such an event would cost Sofia, Terziev replied: "Tens of millions of euros. It will likely not be more expensive than Vienna, but it will be comparable. It involves building infrastructure and completing the venue." He added that the municipality has to carry out an analysis so that "we can provide a precise answer as to what needs to be changed in the infrastructure, if anything needs to be changed at all."

Three stages have been set up on Knyaz Alexander I Square for Dara’s official welcome on Tuesday night organized by Sofia Municipality and BNT as an open-air concert and party, Terziev added. Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard and the square will be closed off, and a thick red carpet will be rolled out, he said.

The show starts at 6:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on BNT, with DJs Theo, Teddy Georgo, and Diass providing the musical atmosphere by presenting a mix of Dara’s hits, music videos, and highlights from her career to date. The event will also mark the 10th anniversary of the start of her professional music career. Dara will perform her winning ESC song Bangaranga live on stage.