The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 will be held in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, the European Broadcasting Union has announced.
Rotterdam, which was originally scheduled to host this year's contest on May 12-16 before it called off due to the coronavirus pandemic, will host the 65th edition of the contest at its Ahoy Arena.
The announcement was made during Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light, which was broadcast by EBU Members and Associates in 45 countries in place of this year's Grand Final on Saturday.
ABBA star Bjorn Ulvaeus appeared in a pre-recorded video message during the final moments of Eurovision: Shine A Light broadcast.
Recalling ABBA's win in Brighton with Waterloo in 1974, he said: "The ESC is one hell of a launching pad".
"And it still remains one of the most genuinely joyous event of the TV era and it is so disarmingly European. It also allows you to escape and be happy,".
"Everybody knows why there couldn't be the usual Eurovision final this year. But we hope this show will comfort you in some small way, knowing that it will be back next year," he said.
"Very good title by the way - Shine A Light. I'm glad they didn't choose Waterloo. Long live the Eurovision Song Contest."
Viewers voted ABBA's song Waterloo as the greatest Eurovision entry.
The three hosts Edsilia Rombley, Chantal Janzen, and Jan Smit, from left to right, joke during rehearsal for the Eurovision's Europe Shine A Light. Source: EBU/NPO/NOS/AVROTROS
