We currently have nine cities that are in the running to become the host city of Eurovision 2020. There are, of course, a number of considerations for the EBU to make when deciding the host city. Everything from the suitability of the venue to the availability of sufficient hotel rooms must be considered. Now, we’re giving the power to you. Which city do you want to host Eurovision 2020 in The Netherlands?
The bidding process
On the 10th of July, the interested cities have to hand in their hosting plans to the EBU. Until that day, other interested cities can still step into the process and stake their claim. Similarly, cities that have expressed a preliminary interest can also still withdraw. Den Haag, for example, is still a question mark at the moment, as they are still in doubt regarding whether or not they wish to continue the bidding process.
Bearing all of that in mind, we want to know which city you think should host the contest. We are only looking at the nine countries currently in the bidding process. Of the nine cities currently in the running, which one would be your favourite to host Eurovision 2020?
Cities currently in the running are listed below. If you click on the name, you will be redirected to the tourist information website of the city, where you can learn more about the city.
Amsterdam
Arnhem
Breda
Den Bosch
Den Haag
Leeuwarden
Maastricht
Rotterdam
Utrecht
More information about the bidding process can be found here.
[polldaddy poll=10344006]Which city is your favourite to host Eurovision 2020? Are there any other Dutch cities you would have loved to see in the bidding process? Let us know in the comments below!
Please let it be either Rotterdam or The Hague. And please not Amsterdam, they already have a huge tourist problem, way too crowded already. Rotterdam or The Hague deserve the spotlight.
Rotterdam is the ultimate choice. Rotterdam is the only Choice…
Maastricht looks cool. My grandad went their once to see an Andre Rieu concert. Now that I think about it, he could be part of an interval act (Rieu, i mean, not my grandad). I just don’t know what venue could host it…
I live near Ramsdorp just outside Amsterdam, and since everyone is considering Rotterdam, Maastricht & Breda i started to feel worried that Eurovision. isn’t coming to Amsterdam. Trust me I have been waited since I was 5 to see eurovision show in my city..
I feel you… the press says “Rotterdam!” and now everybody wants Rotterdam… I honestly prefer Amsterdam, it’s one of my favorite cities in the world and the atmosphere is just amazing. I don’t think that the festival in Rotterdam would be that special. Besides, flight tickets are ridiculously cheap to Amsterdam. I don’t feel like taking a bus to Rotterdam, honestly…
MTV EMA’S 2013 , trust me Amsterdam will host it with luck, look how huge it was in 2013 wasn’t it great?
After this year, the correct answer is: whichever city/venue can pull off the best show.
ziggo dome!
Apparently nobody in the comments section wants Amsterdam to host.
you’re so wrong i’m dutch and I live in Amsterdam and I have waited for this since I was 5
I won’t be there anyway, so whatever…just make a good show!
Yes. From its arse.
Let’s bring the song contest to Noord-Brabant! So either Breda or Den Bosch.
Leeuwarden
I want Curacao to host
Yeah, we all know most people are going to vote for Rotterdam lol
Amsterdam. I saw this documentary about Amsterdam’s coolest artistic places and I want to visit them.
Meh
How is it possible for such a small country to have so many regions? Each region must be just a few streets (if you have streets or canals).
And wait until you hear about Baarle
I don’t get what’s so hard to fathom? The Netherlands are one of the most populous countries in Europe, they have 17 million people (almost the same as Romania). If you take out the Big 5 and Russia, they’re right after Ukraine and Poland. That’s not “small”.
They have 12 provinces (ranging from 500,000 to 3,500,000 people… a lot bigger than “just a few streets”) and there are only 9 cities listed in this article. That’s not a lot.
Good! Start your conversation with a sentence like this and all the dutch people will love you… (not)
Definitely Amsterdam or Rotterdam.
ROTTERDAM ROTTERDAM ROTTERDAM ROTTERDAM.
Hello my name is Daniel
Hello Daniel !
I said AMS because of ibternational air connectivity. But if any other city can offer easy air connections too then go for it
Schiphol -> Amsterdam central station by train: 15 min
Schiphol -> Rotterdam central station by train: 20 min.
Schiphol -> Amsterdam central station by train: 5 euros
Schiphol -> Rotterdam central station by train: 20 euros
Rotterdam Airport—–> Ahoy by train 4 euro
I don’t know why there’s such hype about Rotterdam: I’ve been there, it looks like the industrial, cheap, not so pretty little brother of Amsterdam. The fact that Amsterdam already has too many tourists has become a meme, even though Amsterdam already hosts international events without issue. I feel like the internet started the rumor “Amsterdam’s too packed, Rotterdam will be cool”, and now everyone is repeating it… I’ve been to Amsterdam. Is it busy? Yes. Is it busier than any other big European city? No. Is it THAT busy that you can’t even organize a 3-day-event in the city?… Read more »
Lol ESC is a 1-month event not a 3-day one.
Honestly, this was kind of aggressive. It’s not JUST about Amsterdam being too packed. When people think about The Netherlands, they mostly think of Amsterdam. Combined with the ‘issue’ of too many tourists to house during such an event, it is also a great opportunity to show what else The Netherlands has to offer. Whether it be Rotterdam or some other place. Why one would hype Amsterdam more than it already is, I will never understand.
That’s an argument I can totally hear… but then why is the hype only about Rotterdam? As I said, I don’t think that the people who keep repeating “Amsterdam’s too packed, Rotterdam’s great” have actually been there. Maybe I missed something when I was there, but I feel like Rotterdam is to Amsterdam what Trenton, NJ is to NYC.
I feel like there are several reasons why there’s a bit of a Rotterdam-hype going on, one more reasonable than the other. One reason, for instance, is that Rotterdam is close to where Duncan grew up and him saying that he’d like to bring Eurovision as close to home as possible. Another reason is that Rotterdam has the means to accommodate Eurovision-goers as well as other kinds of tourists, but also has the right venue for an event like ESC. I would love it if ESC were to go to Rotterdam, but I wouldn’t be less excited if another city… Read more »
I’m certainly not pretending I know everything about Rotterdam. I’ve only been there once, maybe I missed something… Let’s see. 😉
Never implied you were ;). We will all just have to wait and see, won’t we.
Go to the dance parade,summer carnaval,marathon,international filmfestival ,Dunya,The Parade ,World Port Days than you see what happens in Rotterdam when there is a show going on most off these events are happening for several weeks and all of the citiy joins in they evn organize a party on the biggest bridge with fireworks and everything,never saw that happen in Amsterdam
Historically, Rotterdam has always been Holland’s work horse. Where the real handiwork of building the Dutch nation was done, so to speak. The only reason that Amsterdam was made capital is that, constitutionally, every new Sovereign is required to be installed there (no coronation pump and circumstance, in the Netherlands). So Amsterdam may see itself as “refined”, in comparison with Rotterdam’s traditional blue-collar culture. And therefore, perhaps, “entitled” to prestigious events.
Not real,but Rotterdam would also be great if people are staying for 3 or 4 weeks within that time they can visit Utrecht,Den Haag,Alkmaar,Amsterdam,Gouda,Breda even Maastricht and lots of other places,by boat train,airplane or car and see a lot more of Holland than just the Amsterdam Canals. As an international Buisness city and World Port Rotterdam knows how to show The Netherlands off to the rest of the World.
And never afraid to take examples from their neighbouring cities or invite them to join.
Several cities in the UK have a population of a million or more. London top of the list. But the “largest” cities in the Netherlands are coming nowhere near.. Hence Amsterdam and Rotterdam, to Dutch standards, counting as “big”. And, as par for the course, invariably getting the largest chunk of the pie. I find it refreshing that nomination as ESC host has a fair chance of breaking this mould. Therefore I’d like to see Den Bosch or Maastricht in the limelight.
Just to say that “Amsterdam has too many tourist” is a rumor, shows that you have no idea what are you talking about haha
Read the entire comment, not just a selected piece… I didn’t say Amsterdam didn’t have many tourists (I actually said the opposite, copy-paste: “I’ve been to Amsterdam. Is it busy? Yes”). I said that the internet started that chant that everyone is now repeating “Amsterdam’s too packed, Rotterdam’s great”… while honestly, Rotterdam is not great (at least not based on my experience there). One of my colleagues was sent to the Netherlands for a 6-month-assignment, our Dutch offices are in Rotterdam so he should have lived there… but he was like “No way”, lived in Amsterdam and preferred taking the… Read more »
Bella, Amsterdam is fine for day trips. Same applies to Rotterdam. But I don’t want to live in ether. Each depressing in their own way. I have been living and working in London for just over twenty years. But if I were to travel to Amsterdam today, I’m sure I’ll still be made to feel like a clueless hick from the sticks. And Rotterdam seems to have similar “redneck” tendencies. Both intensely disliked, as far as I’m concerned.
Hi Peter I’m living in Rotterdam for thirty years,never went to Amsterdam because of the reason you mentioned.I worked there but never lived there.Rotterdam never has or had those tendencies.
In Rotterdam you are judged by your ability not you place of birth and I’m originally from Limburg with a soft G in Amsterdam it was always an issue,although 60% of the city is import from the rest of the Netherlands,in Rotterdam they liked it and never paid much attention to it
OMG are you crazy that was just rude
Rotterdam hosts every international festival which are too big for Amsterdam,Its modern,quick too travel and has an airport in the city limits not 20 km away.If a big international event happens,the city isn”t closed off by crowds of people,they create venues all over the city,and because Rotterdam is simply bigger than Amsterdam you can enter every venue quickly without any disturbance in the rest off the city,also the nearby ZuiderPark would be a great venue for an ESC-village.And most off all Hotels are plenty,two brand new ones next to AHOY. people in Rotterdam and most habitants are glad to show… Read more »
BRING ME BACK TO ROTTERDAAAM
The Hague hosted the contest in 1976 and 1980. If they do it there, it would enter the top 3 of cities having hosted the most contests:
1) Dublin (6 contests)
2) London and Luxembourg (4 contests each)
3) Copenhagen and Stockholm… and maybe The Hague? (3 contests each).
I’d love Maastricht since is 30 minutes from where I live but Rotterdam would be the best choice (considering Amsterdam won’t fight a lot to host it).
I want a more inconspicuous city to host so that they really value it . So not Amsterdam
Amsterdam and Rotterdam are the only real candidates. Of those two, I think I’d personally want to go to Amsterdam more, but I won’t be attending the show live, so whichever city can provide more is fine with me. I think it’ll be Rotterdam based on what’s been said in the news; desire to visit outside of Amsterdam, Amsterdam will not fight if other cities want it more, etc. Also, considering Rotterdam has never hosted adult Eurovision, I think that’s a good sign that it will now. My unrealistic dream would be The Hague because of my fascination with the… Read more »
The host city isn‘t even that important as long as they have a good venue and production, looking at you Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv had a massive production, thank you next.
Although Tel Aviv 2019 was great, we can convince you by listing the things went so wrong with Tel Aviv.
I voted for where I THINK we are going and where I personally WOULD LIKE to go. I think we will go to Rotterdam. Amsterdam would be too overcrowded if it were to host Eurovision, F1 and the usual influx of tourists that go there for dirty weekend breaks at the same time and the Ahoy is the best venue in the contest. It has a 16,000-seat sports hall (ideal for Eurovision) and plenty of space for a press centre, dressing rooms, commentary boxes and even a green room separate from the main auditorium (if that’s what NPO want). It… Read more »
Maastricht is not inaccessible. It is within a 60 minute drive from either Brussels, Cologne or Dusseldorf. It may be a remote corner from a Dutch perspective. It certainly isn’t from a European perspective. In fact, there are 14 million people within a 100km radius from Maastricht (compared to just 11 million from Amsterdam or 13 million from Rotterdam).
Marc, I second that wholeheartedly.
Deven, I vigorously dispute that Den Bosch has no chance. May I remind you that the Brabanthallen are the third largest venue in the Netherlands? And another trump is that, solely amongst ESC candidates, Den Bosch, Breda and Tilburg are joining forces. Which, in my opinion, is not only commendable, but also offering a realistic perspective on being awarded the prize.
Although public transport is very well-developed in the Netherlands and Eindhoven Airport is close to Den Bosch, fans won’t want to travel from Breda or Tilburg to see the contest and then have to travel back in the early hours of the morning. Let’s just have it in Rotterdam, Amsterdam or Utrecht. They all have good venues to host the contest, lots of trains and buses, Schiphol is close and fans can actually stay in the host city. Let’s not faff around, Den Bosch is NOT going to host Eurovision (nor will Maastricht, Leeuwarden, Den Haag or Arnhem), so let’s… Read more »
The bias against the Brabantian cities is utterly disgusting
Nobody knows who those people are. You have too many regions for such a small country.
The Netherlands is divided in twelve bits called provinces. The country came together because two of those counted as economic heavyweights, which entitled them to some heavy-handed domestic imperialism, one could say,. As a result, Amsterdam is, to this day, viewed with distrust, because of the arrogance and contempt it treated all other provinces with, over the course of hundreds of years. Furthermore, Flanders and Luxemburg have also been integral, for centuries, to the Netherlands’ various incarnations (until the late 1830s, to be precise. But the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg joined hands again in the Benelux, from which, eventually present… Read more »
The same has been blighting Dutch history for hundreds of years, mate. It’s certainly not something new.
Does anyone else want Liverpool and Rome to be added to the poll for the comedy value?
Constantinople or nothing.
It could be Rotterdam or anywhere, Liverpool or Rome…
Given the Netherlands have entered 9 cities, it does feel like it could be anywhere – hence why this poll was such a fantastic opportunity to complete a much loved lyric!!
Or Llanfairpwllgwyngwllgogerychwyndroblantysiliogogogoch?
People, Let’s remember that Netta already said in the Grand Final “Amsterdam”. It will not be there.
Let’s pretend she simply didn’t think about other NL cities when she said that.
She also said Jerusalem when she won in 2018 😉 and….
How exactly is she involved in the selection of the host city? She knows nothing more about that than you and me.
I’m not saying that She will select the host city, but as You are informed, there is a “superstition” that when the name of the “next host city” is pronounced in the Grand Final, the contest will not be there. Take the “in Stockholm” of Nikki in 2012, and as mentioned by WannaEatMySpaghetti, the “next time in Jerusalem” of Netta in 2018.
It’s actually the first time I hear about that superstition! Let’s see.
This video illustrates very well the “superstition” : https://www.facebook.com/groups/eurovisionBR/permalink/1899080363482092/?app=fbl
Rotterdam has more to gain from hosting Eurovision than Amsterdam does anyway, so they’re the ones getting the honour of hosting.
rotterdam so the #amsterdam2020 gheys can seethe
My vote would go to Maastricht. As a Limburgian, I feel like Limburg (the most southern province of the Netherlands in which Maastricht lies) always stays a little behind in comparison to the rest of the Netherlands. This would be a great way to make up for that!
Wat zijt gij?
Same for me as a Frisian I would like to see ESC in Leeuwarden. BOth our provinces stand so much out of the rest!!! But having said that, realisticly it should be Rotterdam!
Well then what about Drenthe? Not that Drenthe has the facilities to host such a massive international event…
Hear hear,Tijs! I’m with you. Maybe not all the way, but the best part of it anyway.
They should think about the size of the city, how much the several venues can hold and how their acoustics is like, so it will definetly be between Rotterdam and Amsterdam
It’s amazing the difference between the host city bidding process between this year and last year. No “it needs to be her” “no, it doesnt” arguments. All cities are playing fair and trying to get it through the merit of the bid. Stands in good stead that this could be a good Eurovision show (although it is obviously still early to tell).
The host city bid or the show?
The contest in Israel was highly politicised (as it is every time it goes to troubled countries, like Ukraine or Azerbaijan). Not only the host city bidding, but everything about the 2019 contest was weaponised as a propaganda tool… The reason choosing a city was so difficult last year was because Israel wanted Jerusalem to host (probably to make the world forget that the eastern part of the city is not part of Israel, even though they illegally occupy it). This kind of things will not happen in the Netherlands (just like it did not happen in Portugal, Austria or… Read more »
Can you be more awful? Bad things can happen anywhere, when you least expect.
Bad things can happen everywhere, of course. But governments that actively use international events for propaganda purposes don’t happen everywhere (and def not in the Netherlands). 😉
Let them be. People are so quick to call Netherlands a success. Wishful thinking !
The Netherlands has national identity issues of their own, granted. But ‘sedate’, rather, than ‘troubled’ is the adjective I’d have used. Division and polarisation there nowhere near as toxic as in pre-Brexit England. I have been at the receiving end of the latter and living and breathing it’s excesses almost to breaking point. I’ve never been to Israel, but from my own involvement with Brexit, I think I can form a fair idea of how political ly loaded the ESC debate must have been in Israel.
Amsterdam please. Keeping it real. who wants to go to Rottendam
Over 40% of this poll. Amsterdam has a lot of tourism and has a lot going on in 2020, so it’d be smart to divide the events and give another city like Rotterdam or Maastricht their moment in the spotlights. It’s not like these cities are far away from eachother, so you can easily visit them while staying in the center of the country.
From the egoistic point of view: I was already in Amsterdam, so nope. But I wanted to make some “International Politics Sightseeing” one day, so therefore it needs to be Den Haag (ICC) 😀
Thanks a lot for that! 🙂
In correct English, it’s ‘egoTistic’, dear… 🙂
So, as a Dutchie, looking at each city rationally: – Amsterdam: serious contender, being the capital and having multiple venues available (Ziggo Dome, RAI). Will probably push the Ziggo Dome forward to host it, as the RAI would be too small imo and the Johan Cruijff ArenA would not be available as Ajax plays its home matches there. Ajax being the largest club with the largest stadium, it is impossible to reschedule those matches elsewhere. The only problem the Ziggo Dome would face is that it might be a little too narrow for such a big stage, and that they… Read more »
Rotterdam?
Arnhem or Utrecht would be nice. Central located. Arnhem has the GelreDome which is a massive arena. So everyone could get tickets.
It’s looking like Rotterdam although I can see Maastricht being a dark house. Amsterdam seems too booked and I think the EBU, the Dutch and the wider ESC fandom would want the contest in a city which would make it its priority for 2020 rather than in a city that would half heartedly treat it as just another event
I think it’s relatively safe to say that we’ll go to Rotterdam in 2020- luckily.
Rotterdam without any shadow of a doubt, will host ESC 2020
I think Rotterdam ist the best choice !