Sofia or Burgas? The finalists to host Eurovision 2027 have been announced

13.07.2026 | Bulgaria

BNT has announced the two cities moving on to the final stage of the selection to host Eurovision 2027. Varna and Plovdiv were eliminated following a technical assessment.

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End of the first stage: Sofia and Burgas in the battle for Eurovision 2027

Following the conclusion of the first stage of the Host City Selection Process, the finalists have been announced. Sofia and Burgas are the two cities proceeding to the final evaluation phase. The municipalities of Varna and Plovdiv have been eliminated from the race.

We would like to emphasize that this decision is solely the result of the assessment based on pre-defined technical and infrastructural criteria, applied equally to all candidates.

Technical criteria and evaluation

The first stage included a detailed assessment of the technical specifications of the proposed venues in accordance with the requirements of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the production standards of the contest. The Director General of BNT, Milena Milotinova, expressed gratitude to the teams of all municipalities for their professionalism and serious preparation.

What's next for the eliminated cities?

Although Varna and Plovdiv will not be hosts, their contribution is highly valued. Martin Green, Director of Eurovision, emphasized that the strong competition proves the immense interest in the event. Both cities are expected to be active parts of the accompanying program and national events related to "Eurovision 2027," which will take place in May next year.

The work of the international evaluation task force continues in order to determine the final host of the large-scale musical event.