Speculation is mounting over the Eurovision 2016 Host City in Sweden. The bookies already have their favourite — the capital city, Stockholm. But the capital’s bid took a big hit today, as both Tele 2 Arena and Friends Arena have ruled out hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2016.

Tele 2 has preferential soccer contracts which make it impossible to free up space for the 4-6 week window desired by SVT to put together the contest.

Henrik Kindlund, Hammarby’s CEO, told Expressen of Tele 2’s withdrawal:

It is not on the plan to relinquish the arena for so long. It should not affect our schedule too much. Two weeks would work.”

Friends Arena, on the other hand, just isn’t that into hosting. Despite playing host to the  Melodifestivalen final since 2013, Friends has confirmed it isn’t interestested. Ouch.

(Update: Just hours after we published this story, Kindlund has backtracked and says he is flexible. Read more here)

https://youtu.be/vb-07BeZLCk

Stockholm’s hopes now rest upon the Ericsson Globe, which has a smaller capacity than the other two arenas but has previous form with the Eurovision Song Contest, hosting the 2000 edition.

The Ericsson Globe’s bid to play Eurovision Host City 2016 isn’t a foregone conclusion though.

Gothenburg, Malmö and Linköping have their eyes set on hosting Eurovision too. Today Swedish media is reporting that the three cities — Malmö, Gothenburg and Linköping — have been given a list of “secret demands” from SVT that must be met to be named the Eurovision 2016 Host City.

The document is reported to be thirteen pages long and includes practical details, although the key requirement appears to be the 4-6 window to put the contest together in the arena.

With Globen the only Stockholm arena left in the running, it seems the chances are increasing for a smaller city to snatch the Eurocity crown.

SVT have refused to comment beyond stating the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 will be decided by August.

Expressen have also today suggested Måns Zelmerlöw and Dolph Lundgren as possible co-hosts for the Contest next year.

Source: Expressen, gp.se, Coreen.se

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Vicente Chen
Vicente Chen
8 years ago

Linköping sounds really cool!!! Malmö already shined before, Göteborg is also a nice choice, but Linköping…… totally brand new, it’ll be fantastic!!! Also hosting in Linköping, people won’t be separated by neither Norway nor Denmark 😛

PP
PP
8 years ago

Interesting that Sweden organized one time good eurovision with good stage and then not good stage….
1975. no good stage
1985. good stage
1992. no good stage
2000. good stage and for me best opening of Eurovision in history
2013. no good stage, better was in 2000, and i don t like when from 2013 we had parade of nation at beginign of final, it time to much , this year almost 30 minutes of program and we don t hear first song in final , like in 1989.

Rayman
Rayman
8 years ago

J-F:

More like the Swedish Harrogate. 🙂

J-F
J-F
8 years ago

Linköping, the Swedish Millstreet ?

Vladimir
Vladimir
8 years ago

Linköping sounds great. I like it when a smaller place is suddenly under spotlight:)

Chad
Chad
8 years ago

Totally agree Rayman, 2013 was an awesome show, maybe fans wanted it to be bigger and brasher (more like MelFest). It was a big idea of that year to big it to average sized arenas rather than trying to be bigger and bolder.
Would be nice for Gothenburg to have a go, but it seems the venue is a little too old.
I think the Globen is still plenty big enough

Rayman
Rayman
8 years ago

I think it’ll be Göteborg and Scandinavium, but Stockholm’s Globen is also possible. Linköping would be a huge surprise! In my opinion Malmö hosted a great show in 2013, and I never really understood why some fans disliked that contest. The production was world-class (just compare the two videoclips in the China knock-off-article), the host was fabulous and there were many good songs competing. Did the dislike really just come from the arena and the host city being smaller than usual, aswell as the stage being slightly smaller and the absence of a giant pixelated LED-screen? Was there anything else?… Read more »

Darren
8 years ago

The Ericsson Globen can hold up to 16,000 people, while the Scandinavium in Gothenburg can only hold 14,000 and the Saab Arena in Linkoping can only hold a mere 11,500. I doubt it will be in Linkoping, its a very small town, I doubt it has the infrastructure (hotels and transport) to accomodate guests. Gothenburg’s Scandinavium is quite small, once the stage is built, the commentators boxes are installed and the press centre is set up, the capacity of the Scandinavium decreases a lot….The Ericsson Globen in Stockholm is the only logical choice, plus it looks unusual.

JESCGermany15
JESCGermany15
8 years ago

Oh Sweden…could any other country hosting it? Maybe? All good arenas are out of the race…I don’t want to go to Malmö again or to the Globen Arena! Now I hope that Gothenburg could host it! Or, please more money for ESC hosting and lower money for Melodifestivalen!

Milla
Milla
8 years ago

Sad about Tele 2 arena. Maybe they can work something out, but probobly not. Now I hope for 1.Globen 2.Scandinavium. Not Linköping, please! And I would love to see Måns hosting it! He’s sooo nice! <3

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
8 years ago

I like that Globe. I can imagine what they could do to it (inside and out) to get it ready for Eurovision 2016. But if they snub Stockholm outright (no matter which arena is available there), they MUST go to Göteborg. We’ve already seen Malmö, and it’ll be too close to the 2013 contest, and viewership could suffer because of it.

Geeky Explorer
8 years ago

Damn, I was hoping to visit Stockholm during Eurovision 🙁

EscCroatia
EscCroatia
8 years ago

I am rooting for Globe in Stockholm just because It’s Stockholm and it looks quite nice.

Gothenburg can also be justified but please, NO MALMÖ AGAIN.2013 wasn’t so good imo

wut
wut
8 years ago

Globen looks kinda cool. But it’s too small… Wiener Stadthalle was a smal venue, and look how it turned out. They needed fake clapping, because some acts didn’t get even a smallest applause.

Jandy
Jandy
8 years ago

I think Malmö have a good chance.
1.Malmö Arena (new)
2.Malmömässan (Malmö exhibition & confernce center) is close by for the media.
3. New hotel near the Arena.
4. International Airport & Trainstation is close by.
5.Malmö Opera or the new Malmö live concert hall (close to all the major hotels) can host the red carpet event.

Farron
Farron
8 years ago

I don’t think they’ll pick the Globen then. Tele2 and Friends were the only reason Stockholm was ahead. So it’ll be Malmö or Göteborg (Gothenburg) probably.

Giorgios
8 years ago

Malmö dropped out of the bidding race on 24 May so it is already ruled out. Linköping will not host the contest because of its small size as a city. Only Stockholm and Gothenburg can host it because they have international airport but I also see Ericsson Globen pulling out till next week

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

Scandinavium in Gothenburg is old. Isn’t it unlikely that they choose such an old arena? I would love for it to be in Gothenburg though since it is a wonderful city! Gothenburg would be a really good choice if it weren’t for the old arena.

eurovision
8 years ago

They should choose a good ArenaVisit my blog
https://eurovision12points.wordpress.com/

Darren
8 years ago

C’mon Linkoping? Ive never even heard of it. I really dont understand why SVT are always relunctant to place the contest in the capital. Sure Gothenburg and Malmo look like nice cities, but seriously, Stockholm has more to offer the visitors. Tourism wise, there are more tourist sights in Stockholm than any other Swedish city, there would also be a wider variety of hotels and hostels. Transport wise, unless your coming from Norway or Denmark, most visitors to the Eurovision will be passing through Stockholm-Arlanda Internationa, so it would be more beneficial to ahve Stockholm as host city. The Globen… Read more »

Isaac
Isaac
8 years ago

I know really want Gothenburg. Second for me is the Globen. I really want #Gothenburg2016!!!! I am VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY surprised about the Tele2 Arena!!!!
My Rankings:
1st : Scandinavium
2nd: Globen
3rd: Saab

George
8 years ago

Gothenburg.For sure. It can’t be Linkoping. And Malmo ? HA. And what means Friends Arena is not interested? That’s boolshit. If they want Friends Arena, they can have it. That’s just excuses because they want for one more time to host a boring, small, cheap and profitable contest. Ewww

jr esc nl
jr esc nl
8 years ago

Pls let it be globen

shame on italy
shame on italy
8 years ago

Sweden did not buy the jury. The odds is higher that italy did buy the jury than sweden. Corruption is low in sweden

Deniz@TurkNL
Deniz@TurkNL
8 years ago

The globe looks really cool.

Otna
Otna
8 years ago

Linkoping would be hilariously amazing <3 Gothenburg would be ideal <3

ShameOnSweden
ShameOnSweden
8 years ago

Sweden spent all of its money on buying the jury. Too bad we won’t be able to see the GreAtY show Italians could give us.

EF0912
EF0912
8 years ago

Looks like we’re going to Gothernburg in 2016. I wouldn’t be surprised though if they l pick Linköping.

Leon
Leon
8 years ago

Yayy…it’s 2013 all over again. I should just watch Turkiyvision or whatever it was called.