Entertainment

Netherlands reveals venue for next year’s Eurovision Song Contest

Rotterdam and Maastricht had been vying for the right to stage the extravaganza.
Rotterdam and Maastricht had been vying for the right to stage the extravaganza. Rotterdam and Maastricht had been vying for the right to stage the extravaganza.

The Dutch port city of Rotterdam has been selected to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

The European Broadcasting Union announced on Friday that Rotterdam edged the southern city of Maastricht in the race to host the annual music competition.

The Netherlands won the right to host the 65th edition of the festival when Dutch singer Duncan Laurence won this year’s event in Tel Aviv with his doleful piano ballad Arcade.

Laurence was the first Dutch act to win the European musical extravaganza since Teach-In’s 1975 triumph with Ding-A-Dong.

Rotterdam’s Ahoy arena will host the semi-finals of next year’s event on May 12 and 14 and the grand final on May 16.