Eurovision song contest 2026: united by music, powered by data

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is set to turn Vienna into the musical heart of Europe once again. As one of the world’s largest live music events, Eurovision brings together millions of viewers, artists, and fans under the long‑standing motto ‘United by Music’. Beyond glittering performances and cross‑border voting, the contest also highlights how large‑scale cultural events rely on data to connect audiences, optimise organisation, and enhance the fan experience. 

The 70th edition of Eurovision will take place in Vienna, Austria, with semi‑finals on Tuesday, 12 May and Thursday, 14 May, followed by the grand final on Saturday, 16 May, all starting at 21:00 CEST. The shows will be hosted at the Wiener Stadthalle, with additional fan activities across the city, including public screenings and the Eurovision Village. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union, the contest is broadcast across Europe and far beyond, attracting viewers from dozens of countries and generating extensive media and online engagement. More information about the event is available on the Eurovision website.  

While Eurovision is best known for its music and performances, it is also shaped by data that informs everything from logistics to audience participation. Public datasets on audience reach, tourism flows, and transport usage can help cities assess the economic and social impact of hosting major events. Open mobility data supports crowd management and sustainable travel planning, while media and cultural datasets enable journalists, researchers, and fans to explore trends in music, language, and cross‑border participation. Open data can also encourage creative reuse, from data visualisations of voting results to applications that help fans plan their Eurovision experience. 

As Europe celebrates music, diversity, and collaboration in Vienna, it is also a moment to showcase the power of open data. Explore datasets and use cases on the European Data Portal, discover how open data supports cultural innovation, and learn how you can reuse public data to create new insights around events that bring Europe together. 

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