How Malmö, Sweden Will Pull Off the Eurovision Song Contest

Just as sports obsessives will travel to Paris this summer for the Olympics, pop music lovers with a penchant for camp will travel to Malmö for the Eurovision Song Contest.

The annual competition gathers winning musicians from countries across Europe (and after years of superfandom, Australia), to each perform their original song in a televised broadcast as fans vote from home and national juries determine the winner. While the contest may not be a household name in the US, it’s the most watched cultural event in the world. Don’t believe it? The event’s three live broadcasts drew 162 million viewers last year (while the 2024 Super Bowl was watched by about 123 million.)

But this is no American Idol. First held in 1956 in Switzerland, Eurovision is known for theatrical performances full of unbelievable fashion, elaborate dance routines, and viral baiting moments. Think cyborg costumes, flamboyant pipe players, and vampires. While most winners don’t break into the international mainstream pop circuit—instead, their superstar status is contained within the Eurovision fan base—there are a few exceptions like 2021 winners, Italian rock band Måneskin and the most popular Eurovision export of all time, 1974 winners ABBA.

The stage for the 68th Eurovision Song Contest within the Malmö Arena.

With ABBA on their side, Sweden isn’t new to hosting. This year marks the country’s seventh time, and third in this particular coastal city. The annual competition is hosted in the home country of the previous year’s winner, with a few exceptions: In 2023, when Ukraine was unable to host due to the war, the UK hosted on its behalf in Liverpool.

On top of the honor of the song of the year, there’s a lot on the line for the winning country. Hosting the event promises a boom in tourism as thousands of fans ready to wine, dine, and dance plan their next summer holiday around the festivities. It can be an opportunity to debut new city infrastructure, hospitality offerings, and boost the economy. The host country (along with the top five countries who financially contribute to the event) is also automatically qualified for the grand finale.

Eurovision by the numbers

1956 the year Eurovision started

162 million viewers tuned into last year’s three televised events

50 years since Swedish group Abba won Eurovision

7 times Sweden has hosted Eurovision

3 times Malmö has hosted Eurovision

37 countries participating in the 2024 song contest

100,000 tourists expected to travel to Malmö for the event this month

5,200 total hotel rooms in Malmö

But there’s a reason why Iceland considered running a subpar candidate to avoid winning the contest in the 2020 Netflix comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga: Hosting the event could cause the country to go bankrupt. In 2012, when Azerbaijan hosted the contest in capital Baku, The Times reported the country spent upwards of $60 million hosting the event, not including the $100 million stadium they built for it.

Anna Witgren, Head of Marketing for the city of Malmö, says it is preparing for 100,000 visitors to join its approximately 350,000 person population (nearly half of which are under 35) during the week-long celebration. This includes ticket buyers from 89 countries, fans without tickets, sponsors, and the performers from 37 participating countries, each with around 20 crew members.

Where will 100,000 people stay? Performers and crew are booked into hotels paid for by their host country while fans will be found across a combination of 40 hotels alongside home rentals and camping.

Even those without a ticket still want to be close to the action. Think of it like a fabulous, glitter-filled, tailgate party. “The Eurovision vibe will be all over the city,” promises Witgren. The city has been setting up for over six weeks to turn Friisgatan, an idyllic street of shops and cafes, into Eurovision Street: a pathway to the rest of the action lined with street food and vendors. Folkets Park will transform into Eurovision Village, where fans can attend sing-a-longs, dance lessons, circus performances, and a roller disco. If attendees get tired of walking or biking, a special Eurovision public transportation pass will be available.

The world knows Sweden’s reputation for pop music. But on top of a penchant for catchy hooks, Malmö is hoping this year’s contest will help establish the city as a tourist destination and business hub. “Big events are an important part of creating our legacy” says Witgren. “There are currently 270 head offices in Malmö and there’s potential for more.”

The winners of the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, ABBA, were the first of seven winners for the country of Sweden.

Clarion Malmö Live, a modern business hotel, sold out months before the event with rates spanning $180 all the way to $850 per night. General manager Jens Lyckman says the hotel is one of the most desirable because of its proximity to Euroclub, a pop up nightclub featuring DJs and live performances by a secret lineup of 15 Eurovision artists from the past five decades. Ticket holders can rave across two dance floors until 5 a.m.

MJ’s, a Malmö boutique hotel with pink and Parisian flair, plans to sprinkle Eurovision-themed surprises for guests throughout the week, including an Italian Euro Disco-themed dance party at its speakeasy (no RSVP needed.) Manager Gabriella Carlsson says rooms for the finale weekend sold out the day the event was announced in July 2023; the few remaining “x-tra” small rooms (just over 100 square feet) are available earlier in the week for upwards of $300 a night.

Italian band Måneskin is another popular winner, pictured here celebrating their victory at the 2021 Contest in Rotterdam.

Those late to the party will need to look for accommodations in Copenhagen, a 40-minute train ride away. Linda Faust, senior sales manager of Grand Joanne, a bright and art-filled boutique hotel, says they adjusted their rates last year in anticipation of Malmö running low on rooms. Grand Joanne expects vibrant, joyful energy extending from Malmö into the design capital and is ready to host an overflow of guests at parties on their rooftop.

All travel planning aside—the most important decision is who to root for. The winning song has the power to determine the location of superfans’ 2025 summer holiday, after all. Most online buzz is pointing towards Switzerland, whose song “The Code” by Nemo blends pop, dance, hip hop, and opera in theatrical harmony. Others are betting on “Europapa,” the even campier nostalgic Eurodance anthem calling for unity from the Netherlands. There’s hope for Croatia’s Baby Lasagna with metal-influenced “Rim Tim Tagi Dim,” too. Regardless, their bombastic performances look set to unite 100,000 visitors and millions watching from home under the joy, absurdity, glitter, and power of Eurovision.