Bulgaria's organised travel trade has come off the fence in the race to stage Eurovision 2027. The Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents, ABTTA, came out for Sofia in an official statement reported on 25 July, arguing that the capital already has the international flights, the hotel stock, the infrastructure and the experience of large international events needed to run one of the biggest live broadcasts in Europe.
It is a lobbying intervention, not a decision. The choice belongs to Bulgarian National Television and the European Broadcasting Union, which have cut four bids down to two: Sofia and Burgas. Novinite reported that the selection is in its final stage and that the winner is expected to be named within days.
Why the Travel Trade Wants Sofia
ABTTA's case is about the city rather than the show. It pointed to Sofia's international transport links, modern infrastructure, extensive hotel capacity and record of hosting major international events, and said that bringing the contest to the capital would lift incoming tourism, raise Bulgaria's profile abroad and open up longer-term business in cultural, urban and event tourism.
The association was courteous about the competition. It described Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas as destinations with rich history, cultural heritage and developing infrastructure, before concluding that Sofia is currently the best prepared of them to take the contest on.
Sofia's mayor, Vasil Terziev, welcomed the backing. He said the candidacy is a chance to show Bulgaria to millions of viewers worldwide and to give tourism and the country's international image a boost, and that the city is ready to work with BNT and the EBU on preparing and hosting the event.
The Two Halls Point the Other Way
What the statement does not mention is the venue, and on that measure the contest is less one-sided. Arena Sofia, open since 2011, has a general seating capacity of 12,373. Arena Burgas is much newer, opened in May 2023, and while it seats 4,100 for sport, expandable to 6,100, it is built to take up to 15,000 for concerts.
So the travel industry's argument for the capital is an argument about beds, flights and practice at moving crowds around, not about the building the stage would sit in. Anyone who has tried to find a room on the coast at short notice in high season already has a view on how much slack Burgas has, though Eurovision would land in May, before the season proper gets going.
The Bill, and Who Is Signing It Off
The cost of hosting has been public since the spring. Bulgarian and international outlets reported in May, quoting Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov, a figure of €20 million to €30 million, with the government adding Eurovision funding to its 2026 budget plan and setting up an interdepartmental organising committee under Hristov to run the preparations.
The schedule behind the host-city choice is what makes the delay awkward. Bulgaria's July action plan sets an executive producer in place by 30 August, venue agreements signed by 10 September and creative design finished by 15 December. None of that can start in earnest until somebody knows which arena is being fitted out.
Where the Beds Get Tight Next May
The contest is set for May 2027, and the host-city decision effectively settles which part of Bulgaria absorbs several thousand visiting fans, crew and accredited press through a fortnight of rehearsals and live shows.
For British expats there are two practical consequences. The first is visitors. If UK friends or family fancy coming out for it, the flight and room squeeze will be concentrated on one city, so it is worth holding off on booking anything until the announcement lands. Our guide to visiting Bulgaria covers the airport and onward-transport basics for either outcome.
The second is letting. If you rent out a property, the two results are not equivalent. A Burgas win would drop a burst of demand on the Black Sea coast in the weeks before summer lets usually pick up, which is a pricing decision worth making deliberately rather than by habit, and the registration and tax side is covered in our guide to running a holiday let in Bulgaria.
The UK is taking part whichever city wins. The BBC has confirmed participation and Britain keeps its automatic place in the final as one of the Big Five, so there is no semi-final night to plan around if you are watching for the UK entry.
What Happens Next
Four cities filed bids by 3 July, each with a venue attached:
- Sofia, with Arena Sofia
- Burgas, with Arena Burgas
- Plovdiv, with the Kolodruma
- Varna, with the Palace of Culture and Sports
The shortlist came down to Sofia and Burgas on 13 July, with a final decision expected by the end of July. Neither BNT nor the EBU has published the reasoning that dropped Plovdiv and Varna, and no date for the announcement has been confirmed beyond "the coming days".
Bulgaria earned the hosting job the hard way, by winning the 2026 contest with Dara's "Bangaranga". The argument now is only about which city gets to spend the money and take the visitors.