The government has approved more than €4.8m in extra money for Burgas council to prepare for Eurovision 2027, the cabinet press office said.

The money will pay for a test event at Arena Burgas and for technical work on the hall afterwards. The press office said this will get the contest ready on time, in line with the schedule already agreed.

The money comes from the state and goes into the council's budget, so Burgas will not have to pay for the hall alone before the contest.

Eurovision will take place in Burgas in May 2027. Bulgarian National Television and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) chose the city to host the 71st contest.

The cabinet press office said an event of this size needs organisational, logistical and technical preparation. Based on international experience, the host country's public broadcaster, the host city and the government organise the contest together.

The cabinet said the state's role is to coordinate the institutions, give financial support and handle security and public order.

The government called hosting the contest an investment with a high return for the country that takes it on, and a chance for public diplomacy and for raising Bulgaria's standing in Europe's cultural and media space.

In September, the Burgas council adopted its 2026 budget, which set aside up to €1.5m to prepare the city to host Eurovision 2027. Councillors also agreed to include money for logistics, security and a cultural programme in the 2027 budget.

The Ministry of Culture is also preparing a programme of events around the contest to present Bulgarian culture in Europe and the world. Culture minister Evtim Miloshev announced this on 8 October at a hearing of the parliamentary culture committee.