Earlier this evening, the official Eurovision website appeared to reveal that the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 is going to be held in Rotterdam. Yep. Eurovision.tv briefly listed Rotterdam 2020 as an event on the site, and also in the History archives. If you clicked on The Netherlands, the city of Rotterdam was shown hosting the event in 2020. It listed the official venue as the Ahoy — but sadly no details were given on dates.
The official host city is due to be announced on Friday 30th August at 12pm CET. However, many now seem to think we have been gifted an apparent confirmation by mistake and two days early. This follows a campaign from the contest’s social media account, which has been building suspense by sharing, among other things, a video of last year’s winner Duncan Laurence hanging around both cities.
Of course this could be a website testing blunder and rival city Maastricht may well be the actual winner. We still have to wait for the official confirmation on Friday. Then and only then we can start tracking down tourist hotspots and activities away from the Ahoy Arena (or indeed the MECC). Until then we can at least start focusing more on Rotterdam, and maybe get excited for pre-season already, and put up our FIKmas tree…
The plot thickens…
Interestingly, not long after Eurovision had put Rotterdam up as an event on the site — and hastily removed it — Maastricht 2020 then popped up there too. However, Twitter super-sleuth @TylerrM99 noticed some issues with the quickly loaded Massticht option:
Even left in the additional comma from the Rotterdam page pic.twitter.com/0QQl67Rg08
— Tyler M ?? (@TylerrM99) August 28, 2019
Whilst we are now amateur Sherlock Holmeses, trying to pick up more and more clues, we can’t help but be intrigued by Tyler’s theory of grammatical mistakes on the Maastricht page and the lack of photo. I guess we’ll have to hold our patience for just another couple of days to be certain!
Hosting decisions
When cities handed in bid-books, executive producer of the contest Sietse Bakker stressed some of the key criteria. He said: “You produce perhaps the most complex TV show worldwide. It is important that you have a location where you have the space to do that. And then the city itself: do you have the hotel rooms and can you handle the logistics so that not only the visitors but also all kinds of other people who attract it can stay in the city centre?”
From the off, many fans were hoping for Rotterdam to be chosen due to its easy links with Amsterdam. It also hosts one of the biggest ports in Europe for fans not so keen on flying. The city is also considerably bigger than Maastricht, so more availability of hotel rooms and tourist facilities is likely to occur. If Rotterdam indeed is the host then, this makes sense with Sieste’s requirements. The Ahoy is also experienced in hosting big events, such as the MTV EMAs in 2017, and even Junior Eurovision back in 2007.
No matter which way the decision goes, we are super excited for Eurovision 2020! Which city are you hoping for? Do you think there’s been a mistake at Eurovision HQ. Is it Rotterdam, or is the Maastricht post soon after proof it isn’t necessarily at the Ahoy? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
AAAAHHOOOOOOYYYYYY THERE, EUROPE!!! 🙂
12, 14, 16 May.
They would probably cancel each other out. Imagine a Eurovision 2011 voting scenario.
I live in Haag, so closer to home is a bit desperate…
I Never heard of Maasticht, BUT even when roterdam wins I still wanna go to Maasticht. My top 6 cities to visit in Holland are Amsterdam, Kinderdike (children dike??), Maasticht, Utrecht, Leiden, The Hague. I want to stay over in Maasticht or one of those cities, but sorry not in Roterdam at all. And about this mistake. Its like a Rupauls finale episode, they tape three times the winning reactions of the candidates, even though they dont know yet if they won or not
and when the real winner is known, they use the correct tape.
No
um this makes no sense
No, that would be you and Maastricht, alt.
All I See in Rotterdam are glass buildings and concrete. Its kinda ugly. When I check Mastricht I see medieval builings and green. I rather be in Mastricht and sleep there.
it’s indeed ugly but it has an actual arena and it’s next door to amsterdam
That is true Polegend Godgarina but a Dutchie told me it is a 1:15 hour trainride from Amsterdam to Rotterdam and 2:15 hour trainride from Amsterdam to Maasticht. Thats actually not so big of a difference to me. I would hapilly travel one hour extra to be in a beautiful green city with medieval towers. I thought it would be like 5 hours, but just 2:15 hours, that is nothing. Go Maasticht!
That dutchie just lied to you
No he didnt! He showed it to me on ns.nl. that is the Dutch train site.
Omg From Roubaix (North of France) to Perpignan (South of France) with the train is 8 hours!
A 2,5 hour train ride from Ams to Maastricht is nothing! Its just 1 hour longer ride than Rotterdam, that is nothing. I dont see a problem at all.
So the big story ‘Rotterdam is closer to Amsterdam’ is actually just 1 hour closer compared to Maastricht??
I checked ns.nl and Jarek told the truth about Maastricht. Jan/Pinocchio you are going too far to get votes for your city by saying other people are lying while you are the liar. I changed my mind and I hope Maastricht will win.
It’s a 3 hour trainride from amsterdam… 3 hours and 3 minutes to be exactly. ( Altough our trains are anything but exact.)
Also the intercity direct can take you to Amsterdam from rotterdam in 40 minutes so inconclusion: You can reach amsterdam 2 hours and 20 minutes earlier while in rotterdam.
Can you say alt account?
The intercity direct brings you in 41 min from Amsterdam central to Rotterdam central.
From Rotterdam central to Maastricht it will take 2.14 min with one stopover.
Esc2019tlv stop lying! Zero stopovers to Maastricht. I am looking at the ns.nl right now. Stop lying, it is a nonstop ride from Amsterdam to Maastricht.
I said from Rotterdam to Maastricht is with one stopover. So don’t call me a liar because you are to lazy to read Louise. From Amsterdam to Maastricht is indeed 2.25 min. directly.
And Maastricht is only 1.5 hour by train from Brussels Airport (with one stop-over in Liege)!
And from Dusseldorf to Maastricht it’s around 2.15 min. 🙂
Then again: brussels rotterdam takes only 20 minutes longer.
Hello esc2019tlv you are deliberate leaving out important information which is not benefitional in your defends. The train you are mentioning is the Thalys so 1) you have to make a reservation for Ams to Rot. You can not take every train you want. 2) you will have to wait in line for half an hour and you dont have to do that with normal trains or the trains to Maastricht. 3) you also have to be there 30 minutes before departure. See their site for more information. 4) Pay way more for the ticket price because this is the… Read more »
Melissa shoes, no dear, you are wrong, the ns website shows ( for example today), the intercity direct ( which is not a thalys) that will take 39 min from Rotterdam central to Amsterdam central at 15.41hour with a supplement of EUR 2.60 above the normal rate on this traject. No reservation needed. Have a look again and come back here again. Thank you
Esc2019 you are not correct. Check Thalys.nl You will have to check in 30 min before departe! That is a fact. That makes 1:11 min.
No matter if you have a reservation or not. And I wouldnt recommand not having a reservation for the Thalys, because if it is fully booked than you are can not take that train and you will miss out the first songs of Eurovision or be late for your flight. Have a look again and come back here again. Thank you
Melissa shoes,……. serious????? 🙂 I’m not talking about the thalys at all but you are. I’m talking about the intercity direct which takes 40 min from R’dam to A’dam, so why should I look at the thalys site about check in times??????? the intercity direct is NOT the thalys and for the intercity direct you don’t need a reservation and you don’t need to check in 30 min in advance. Your reply really doesn’t make any sense, girl you really need to learn how to read because you are acting like a fool now . I’m stopping this conversation about… Read more »
There are NO trains which can take you in 40 min from Amsterdam to Rotterdam. ONLY the Thalys can take you in 40 min and that is without the 30 min checkin time. ALL the other trains will take 1:13 hour to take you from Amsterdam to Rotterdam. Please dont give your opinions as facts. All my information comes directly from Ns.nl and Thalys.com. People are right, there is only a 1 hour difference with Maastricht. So people can still visit Amsterdam. And I see that Maastricht lies closer to a lot of other cool big cities! How wonderful would… Read more »
read this honey:
https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information/special-routes/intercity-direct.html
Faster travel
With the Intercity direct, you can travel from Breda to Schiphol Airport in less than an hour, or from Rotterdam to Amsterdam in less than 45 minutes. For exact travel times, see the Travel Planner.
But of course the NS is wrong and Melissa is right. I would advise you to contact the NS that they are wrong.
THALYS.COM “In order to ensure the smooth running of any safety checks, we recommend that you arrive prox. 30 min before departure” but ofcourse the Thalys is wrong and esc2019ltv is right.
The NS doesnt have a 30 min departure rule, but it also does NOT have a train which brings you there in 40 min. So 1:13 min
Maastricht is faster than Rotterdam with Bruxelles and Bruxelles airport (Belgm), Liege(Belgm), Dusseldorf (Germany), Koln (Germany), Eindhoven and Luxembourg! And only one hour extra to Amsterdam. For more information and facts ns.nl.
I never said anything about the thalys, yes with them you have to be there 30 min in advance. I’m talking about the intercity direct from the NS. How hard is it to read on their site: Faster travel With the Intercity direct, you can travel from Breda to Schiphol Airport in less than an hour, or from Rotterdam to Amsterdam in less than 45 minutes. For exact travel times, see the Travel Planner. It’s written in the link I send you so how hard is it to understand. This has nothing to do with the thalys. But maybe you… Read more »
Melissa shoes, please get your facts straight. There is a Intercity Direct which takes 40 minutes from Rotterdam to Amsterdam and visa versa. Thalys is a completely different train. You’re completely embarassing yourself now.
Do you even know what the Netherlands look like, ret@rd?
You are deliberatly giving false infornation. 40 minutes, even less, when you take the highspeed train (not Thalys) for which you pay 2 euro admission but requires no reservation. Thank you for your apologize. Now vamos, alt.
That dutchie is probably you and you are from Maastricht.
Oops, seems my comment above was wrong. Your face is even uglier.
You can’t judge the book by its cover, but Rotterdam is not that bad and could surprise you more then you think.
But see for yourself by give it a visit and and then judge and don’t listen to much to negative people here. ( yes, I’m looking at you now Polegend Godgarina.)
I think Maastricht will win that book cover, from what I have seen. Xoxo Lisboa
Here are the facts:
Amsterdam – Maastricht 2:25 nonstop.
Amsterdam – Rotterdam 1:13, nonstop and do not include the Thalys, because you will indeed add 30 min incheck time before departe. I know that from experience.
Maastricht is very close to more airports: Koln , Dusseldorf, Weeze, Bruxelles, Liege, Eindhoven and Maastricht Airport. Rotterdam is close to Schiphol, Bruxelles, Eindhoven and Rotterdam Airport.
There is hardly any difference if you compare it to other countries in the world. Nobody cares about some minutes more or less.
Actually Rotterdam has big problems with the budget and they found a lot of mistakes within the given information. They also can’t back up a lot of information. Opinions and wishes are written as truth and facts and that is not how to handle such an event. There are more problems with Rotterdam then people know.
How many alts do you need?
Amsterdam- Rotterdam 0:40 min. with the ” intercity direct” and back. I’m travelling with this train a lot so it’s correct.
I am travelling every day from Rotterdam to Zaandam. For the last 3 years. You are making stuff up. It is called de Thalys.
https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information/special-routes/intercity-direct.html
Faster travel
With the Intercity direct, you can travel from Breda to Schiphol Airport in less than an hour, or from Rotterdam to Amsterdam in less than 45 minutes. For exact travel times, see the Travel Planner.
If you take a special route with a helicopter you are also faster.
Grasping at straws, alt.
ESC2019TLV I am from Rotterdam and I would like Rotterdam to have the Eurovision, but Gurrlllllllll listen, you need to sit down, because you are out of control with your aggressive obsession with Rotterdam toward others. Be glad it is in the Netherlands and let other people have their own opinions.
Rotterdam, 1st I’m not a girl, 2nd I do not care if it will be held in Rotterdam or Maastricht or anywhere, both for me are fine, 3th of all, there is nothing aggressive about my comments, and if you don’t want to read them then don’t, I do not care, even I don’t care about your comment.
ESC2019TLV You act like a fancy dramaqueen so you are a girl. You care way too much, because you will not let others have their own opinion. So calm down miss feminist and drink some tea.
*Grin*, I know and I’m proud of it:-). But now you sound like a drama queen a little :-)( a lot to be honest )..but hey cheer up and keep smiling, that is what I do all the time….and don’t get upset to much. Bye bye:-)
ESC2019TLV First you are not a girl and in the next comment you are proud of being a girl?? You are a dramaqueen with over a dozen comments, crying about Rotterdam and picking up online fights with everybody here. Just sit down little princess, because nobody wants to hear from you.
You guys esc2019tlv is a troll. Every comment by him gets many likes within just a couple of seconds when he is online, and zero new likes after a minute when he is offline. He found a way to give himself extra likes and give extra dislikes to others. He bragged about this a couple of months ago. I thought they blocked him. Maybe they should block him again? Can everybody just play fair and be nice? He is ruining it for everybody. Spread love dude, not hate.
Dear, YOU are the troll with all your alts. People upvote esc2919tlv becausd they state thd truth. Unlike YOU.
Gurrrllll, you need to stop with you overly aggresive alts.
Lol, now you are lying you travel to and from Rotterdam? Your alts are transparent, dear.
Hi, alt. Changing names makes your lies suddenly true. Bye.
No. But you are an alt so who cares what you say, unemployed, basement-dwelling virgin.
You can blame the Germans for that. The only ugly thing is your face.
Ok live in Maastricht
Would be great to have “Second Chance” with all top 4 of the decade (without the actual winner), so 2nd, 3rd and 4th from each year. Or maybe a poll on Wiwibloggs.
I mean, a chicken barn competing against an actual arena, what would the EBU pick? Oh the intrigue!
To be honest I know that the exhibition center has large pavilions but 12m height? That would never work.
shocking!
So professional. I love it.
Haha. Great headline.
Thought the same. There are genious people on wiwibloggs making these fab word plays <3 <3
It needs to be Amsterdam. Keeping it real.
Easy. Just somehow convince Netta to say “Eurovision 2020 won’t be hosted in Amsterdam” and your wish is granted.
If you’re going for that overpriced tourist bait weed smelly realness amsterdam is the place to be indeed.
You need to jump off a bridge. Keeping yourself dead.
The Maastricht page is obviously a backup (I believe it even has some mistakes) and I hope that the mistake was real and we will go to Rotterdam next year.
i mean what do you expect from an organization that announced the bottom results of a jury instead of the first?
So true.
Honestly, I think that if they had gotten all the points backwards, and UK had been at the top of the ranking, EBU would still have thought “yep, seems legit”. Like seeing what those guys are doing, it would be possible.
oh indeed. And they had 24 hours to check and validate the results and yet no one thought “oh these results seem weird”.
London 2021 here we come! 😀
Thank God it wasn’t 12 points from Azeri jury go to… L’Armenie , ARMENIA!!!
iTV would’ve withdrawn next year.
I mean… that Maastricht page is obviously a plan B solution, let’s not fool ourselves… Unless EBU employees are some masterminds creating a big hoax to make us think it’s Rotterdam, while in reality it’s Maastricht (but then again, those are the people that thought there was nothing wrong with Belarus giving 12 points to Israel), I believe that Rotterdam supporters can sleep well tonight.
It’s def Rotterdam
The Maastricht page has Sietse’s and Inge’s role mixed up, whereas the Rotterdam page mentions it right. Sietse is producer event, Inge is producer TV.
I wonder if they pay people to run that website or if they just leave it to volunteers they don’t have pay.
In the end it’s gonna be Amsterdam just like Netta said, you’ll see 🙂
Netta couldn’t even predict a host city in her own country. :p
Next Time in Jerusalem isn’t a prediction, it’s a generic saying, from the time when the jews were in exile. Basically along the lines of this moment is so great, next year when we’ll do it again when we’re back in Jerusalem so it’l be even better!
The EBU. Experts at work.
Niice, that’s almost two hours less travelling by train for me 😉