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Cardiff withdraws from race to host Eurovision 2023

03 Aug 2022 2 minute read
The Principality Stadium in Cardiff

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

Cardiff Council has announced that they, along with the Welsh Government and the Principality stadium, will not go ahead with a bid to host Eurovision 2023.

The main reason for not going ahead with the bid has been put down to the risk of having to cancel a number of major events scheduled to take place at the Principality Stadium next Spring.

A statement from Cardiff Council reads: “The BBC, as the event organisers, have released detailed specifications for each city wishing to bid to host the event. As partners, we have been working through these in detail.

“It is clear that on many of these Cardiff would have a very strong case to become the host city for Eurovision 2023.

“However, the complexity of staging the event means that a significant number of scheduled events in the Principality Stadium during Spring 2023 would have to be cancelled as a result.

“These include the European Wheelchair Rugby Championships, ‘The Road to Principality’, a key event in the WRU Community rugby calendar, and a major international artist contracted to appear, among other events.”

Ukraine

The winner of this year’s Eurovision song contest in Turin was Ukraine. However, due to the continuing war in the country after it was invaded by Russia, it has been decided that Ukraine will not host the contest.

After the BBC confirmed last week that they had accepted the European Broadcasting Union (EBU)’s invitation to host next year’s contest, Leader of Cardiff Council Cllr Huw Thomas said the local authority was looking into the possibility of hosting the event.

Since then, the council has been working with the Welsh Government and Principality Stadium to establish the feasibility of a bid.

Cardiff Council’s statement continues: “We have been in rapid discussion with the BBC to explore any potential options which might have been able to accommodate the event alongside the existing schedule.

“Unfortunately, we have not been able to find a workable solution, and therefore we have collectively agreed that it will not be possible for a Cardiff bid to go forward.

“We thank the BBC for their positive engagement with us, and we wish the winning city all the best in staging the 2023 competition.”


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Dai Rob
Dai Rob
2 years ago

Good. It’s a crock of sh1te!!

One of the two witnesses
One of the two witnesses
2 years ago

Good. No way Cardiff would have “won” it anyway. Waste of money to try. Let the other cities bribe the Tories.

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago

After the assorted gibberish that’s spouted from the 2 aspiring candidates for P.M I doubt whether anything remotely Welsh would have had any chance at all. So wise move not to waste scarce resources chasing the event. Oddballs who crave this kind of event can travel to England and indulge themselves.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago

Cardiff Council, now you have saved all that money you can go and fix up Drover’s Way Park….

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago

Correct decision in my view. We should only want to host such events when we as a nation are participating, leave this “UK “cobblers to the English councils to foot the bill.

Last edited 2 years ago by Gareth
R W
R W
2 years ago

That’s a relief!!

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

I’m glad in a way. It would have been throwing Welsh money down the toilet. Cardiff never had a chance of holding the Eurovision Song Contest. Anyway, Cardiff pulling out citing fixtures being cancelled problematic was merely a face saving exercise. Our capital was never really in the race even though its more than capable of holding large events. I think the host city has already been chosen. It’s either going to be Manchester or Birmingham. England always feathers its own nest remember, and we in Wales pay whatever. Anyway, Britain should not even be holding this contest. It should… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Y Cymro

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