The race is on to secure a spot at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster ORF have officially opened registration for tickets to the 2026 contest in Vienna.
If you want to be inside the Wiener Stadthalle this May, you must act quickly. Unlike previous years where you could simply show up on the day of the sale, fans must register by Thursday, 18 December 2025 to be eligible to purchase tickets when they go on sale in January.
Here is everything you need to know to secure your place in Austria.
Important Dates for Your Diary
The ticket process this year involves a strict timeline. If you miss the registration window, you will not be able to access the main ticket sale.
- Monday 24 November 2025: Registration opened.
- Thursday 18 December 2025 (23:59 CET): Registration closes.
- Friday 9 January 2026: Successful registrants receive confirmation emails.
- Tuesday 13 January 2026 (13:00 CET): Tickets go on general sale.
How to Register for Tickets
The EBU has introduced a two-step authentication process to combat bots and scalpers. You cannot skip these steps.
Step 1: Create a Eurofan Account
Go to Eurovision.com and create a free ‘Eurofan’ account. This is your primary hub for all contest news and access .
Step 2: Register with oeticket
Once your Eurofan account is verified, you will receive an email with a link to the official ticketing partner, oeticket.com. You must create an account there using the exact same email address you used for your Eurofan account .
After registration closes on December 18, the systems will cross-reference your data to authenticate your eligibility. On January 9, authenticated fans will receive a unique access code and a link to the sale .
Ticket Prices: What to Expect
While confirmed prices for Vienna 2026 are yet to be released, we can look at the 2025 Basel prices as a strong indicator of what to expect. Fans should budget for similar ranges.
Grand Final Live Show (2025 Reference):
- Floor (Standing): €374
- Category 1 (Best Seats): €352
- Category 3 (Standard): €235
- Limited View: €96
Semi-Final Live Shows (2025 Reference):
- Floor (Standing): €288
- Category 1: €267
- Category 3: €182
- Limited View: €75
The Budget Option: Preview Shows
If the live broadcast prices are too steep, the “Afternoon Preview” (formerly Family Show) offers the exact same performances for a fraction of the cost. In 2025, tickets for these afternoon shows started as low as €11 for limited view and €27 for standard seats.
There is a strict limit of four tickets per person per order for 2026 .
Nine Shows on Sale
Many fans forget that Eurovision isn’t just one night. There are nine shows in total available for purchase, split across the two Semi-Finals and the Grand Final.
Semi-Final 1 (Tuesday 12 May)
- Evening Preview (Mon 11 May, 21:00)
- Afternoon Preview (Tue 12 May, 15:00)
- Live Broadcast (Tue 12 May, 21:00)
Semi-Final 2 (Thursday 14 May)
- Evening Preview (Wed 13 May, 21:00)
- Afternoon Preview (Thu 14 May, 15:00)
- Live Broadcast (Thu 14 May, 21:00)
Grand Final (Saturday 16 May)
- Evening Preview (Fri 15 May, 21:00)
- Afternoon Preview (Sat 16 May, 12:00)
- Live Broadcast (Sat 16 May, 21:00)
Venue and Restrictions
The contest returns to the Wiener Stadthalle, the same venue that hosted Eurovision in 2015. For the contest, the capacity is adjusted to approximately 10,500 spectators to accommodate the massive stage and green room production .
Attendees should be aware of strict entry policies:
- Digital Only: Tickets will be issued via the oeticket.pass app. No PDFs or screenshots are accepted .
- No Bag Policy: A strict “No Bag” policy is in effect. Only small personal items (wallets, phones) are allowed .
- Names on Tickets: Tickets must be personalized. If you buy for a group, have their names ready during purchase .
Participation Updates
While preparations for the show in Vienna are moving ahead, the lineup for 2026 has seen significant changes. Following the EBU’s decision to confirm Israel’s participation without a general assembly vote, four broadcasters—RTÉ (Ireland), RTVE (Spain), Avrotros (Netherlands), and RTVSLO (Slovenia)—have announced they will withdraw from the 2026 contest .
Major broadcasters including the BBC (UK) and SWR (Germany) have confirmed they will still participate.
Image credits:
Michael Doherty – CC BY-SA 4.0
Bildagentur Zolles – CC BY-SA 3.0
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