Vienna will host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in May 2026, and the search for Austria’s representative will be narrowed down by a televised national final, “Vienna Calling – Wer singt für Österreich?”, on February 20th, 2026. The Austrian broadcaster, ORF, has confirmed that Alice Tumler and Cesár Sampson will co-host the event.
More than 500 submissions from artists across Austria have been received, encompassing a wide range of genres including pop, rock, country, and schlager, and performed in various languages, according to ORF. The selection process aims to identify finalists who will compete for the opportunity to represent Austria on home soil.
Alice Tumler previously co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in 2015, alongside Conchita Wurst, Arabella Kiesbauer, and Mirjam Weichselbraun. Cesár Sampson represented Austria at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon, achieving a third-place finish. He is also currently involved in the selection process as a scout, alongside Eberhard Forcher and Peter Schreiber.
ORF Program Director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz stated that the large number and diversity of submissions is encouraging, and emphasized the importance of having experienced professionals like Tumler and Sampson to support the artists and the public throughout the selection process. Tumler herself expressed her excitement at returning to the Eurovision stage eleven years after her previous hosting role, and is eager to spot who will represent Austria in 2026.
Sampson, having already reviewed all submissions in his role as a scout, described the year as “an extraordinarily good year” for Austrian musical talent. The final selection show, “Vienna Calling,” will air live on ORF 1 and ORF ON at 8:15 PM on February 20th, 2026.
