Swedish singer Loreen appears on stage after winning the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, in Liverpool, Britain, on May 14.PHIL NOBLE/Reuters
The southern Swedish city of Malmo will host the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in the same venue that housed the colourful and eclectic music competition in 2012, the Swedish organizers said Friday.
The 68th edition will be held at the Malmo Arena, and the live televised final has been set for May 11, with semi-finals on May 7 and May 9.
Sweden’s third largest city – which also hosted the event in 1992 and 2012 – was picked in what organizers called a “strong bid process” examining venues, accommodations for visitors, infrastructure and other factors.
“Malmo was eventually chosen as it met all the criteria,” said executive producer Ebba Adielsson at Sweden’s public broadcaster SVT.
In May, Sweden won this year’s contest in Liverpool, England, with the power ballad “Tattoo” by Swedish singer Loreen, who also won the 2012 Eurovision. The host country usually is the winner of the previous year’s event, but 2022 runner-up Britain hosted this year on behalf of the winner, Ukraine.
Loreen was only the second person to take the pop crown twice. Ireland’s Johnny Logan was the first double winner, in the 1980s.
Loreen’s 2023 win was Sweden’s seventh victory, matching Ireland’s record. The Scandinavian country has won seven times and has staged the competition three times in Stockholm – in 1975, 2000 and 2016, twice in Malmo, and once in Goteborg in 1985.
Swedish supergroup ABBA shot to fame by winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo.
Launched in 1956 to foster unity after World War II, Eurovision evolved over the years from a bland ballad-fest to a campy, feelgood extravaganza. It has grown from seven countries to as many as 40, including non-European nations such as Israel and faraway Australia.
Participating countries send acts who are selected through national competitions or by broadcasters. Six countries automatically qualify: last year’s winner and the “Big Five” who pay the most to the contest – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain.
Malmo sits 615 kilometres (about 380 miles) south of Stockholm and across from the Danish capital of Copenhagen with which it is linked by a tunnel and bridge.