As global singing fans gear themselves up for the 2024 edition of the competition, we look in detail at the Eurovision hosts record with last year’s winners Sweden staging the event for a seventh time on Saturday May 11th.
- Six Eurovision Hosts Have Gone onto Win
- 72% Of Eurovision Hosts Finish in The Top 10
- Sweden Will Host Eurovision for The Seventh Time
- Ireland Were the Last Winning Host in 1994
Sweden Have Been Eurovision Hosts Six Times Before
Sweden’s Loreen belted out “Tattoo” to win the 2023 Eurovision 12 months ago and as well as cementing their names in the hall-of-fame, the winners also get the added prize of hosting the event the following year.
Various Swedish cities then put bids in to win the Eurovision hosting duties- including Gothenburg, who took charge in 1985, and the capital Stockholm.
However, it was Malmo who won the 2024 bid.
Malmo are also no strangers as Eurovision hosts as they’ve played entertainers twice before. In 1992 when Ireland won and also in 2013 when Denmark took the prize.
Eurovision 2024 will also be the seventh time Sweden has hosted the singing event, with the most recent being in 2016 when Ukraine went all the way.
But the bad news for Swedish Eurovision fans is that Sweden have NEVER won the competition when also playing host.
Sweden’s Eurovision Hosting Years
| Year | Winners | Hosts Finished |
| 1975 | Netherlands | 8th |
| 1985 | Norway | 3rd |
| 1992 | Ireland | 22nd |
| 2000 | Denmark | 7th |
| 2013 | Denmark | 14th |
| 2016 | Ukraine | 5th |
The Last Time Sweden Hosted Eurovision Ukraine Won
In addition to Denmark winning the Eurovision twice in Sweden, the last time it was hosted there in 2016 we saw Ukraine win.
Therefore, this might bode well for Ukraine, who also won in 2022, ahead of the 2024 renewal when Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil will perform “Teresa & Maria” (watch below).
They go in search of their fourth overall Eurovision success on a patch they’ve got proven winning form.
How Are The Eurovision Hosts Determined?
In short, the winning nation from the previous year will also be handed the hosting duties for the following year. Giving them a chance to try and defend their crown in front of their home fans.
Bidding from cities within that country will then start to stake claims to get the event. With that country’s host broadcaster and the European Broadcasting Union then deciding on a winner.
This Eurovision tradition has been in place since 1958 when the 1957 winners – the Netherlands – staged the event.
Prior to that the first Eurovision was in 1956 and it was won and hosted by Switzerland. But they didn’t stage the 1957 renewal, with this honour going to Germany.
However, since 1958 the Eurovision hosting heritage has remained that the winners entertain the following year, with only a handful of exceptions.
In 1980, Israel, who had won in 1979, declined to host again having also staged the event the year before. Saying they would find it hard to fund another international production.
In an added twist that year, Israel didn’t even compete as the 1980 renewal was scheduled on the Yon HaZIkaron holiday. This was the first time the previous year’s winning country didn’t compete the following year.
Spain and the UK, who were second and third in 1979, also declined to host, with the 1980 Eurovision eventually landing with the Netherlands as hosts.
The UK Are Eurovision Super-Sub Hosts
In 2023 United Kingdom took over from the 2022 winner Ukraine due to their ongoing war with Russia.
While this is not the first time the UK has played Eurovision hosting super-sub as they entertained in 1960 after the Netherlands won the year before, in 1963. And also, the year after France won, plus also in 1972 after Monaco took the title in 1971.
How Many Eurovision Hosts Have Won?
Since 1956 there have now been 67 renewals of the Eurovision Song Contest, with the only missing year in 2020 when Covid swept the globe, and the competition was cancelled.
Over this period there’s been just SIX winning Eurovision hosts, with the first being Switzerland in the inaugural event in 1956 and the most recent Ireland in 1994.
Eurovision Winning Hosts
- 1956: Switzerland (Lugano): Lys Assia sang “Refrain” to go into the history books as the first ever Eurovision Song Contest winner.
- 1969: Spain (Madrid): In a strange year, the event was actually declared a dead-heat between four nations – Spain, UK, Netherlands and France. But with Spain also staging the event this counts as a winning host when Salome sang “Vivo cantando”.
- 1973: Luxembourg (Luxembourg City): Having won in 1972, Luxembourg were handed hosting duties the following year and duly obliged again with Anne-Marie David singing “Tu te reconnaitras”.
- 1979: Israel (Jerusalem): The 1978 winners Israel managed to win back-to-back Eurovisions when Milk and Honey performed their version of “Hallelujah”
- 1993: Ireland (Millstreet): Between 1992 and 1994 Eurovision was a sea of green as the Irish mopped up three in a row – something no other nation is yet to replicate. Of that trio of wins Niamh Kavanagh’s rendition of “In Your Eyes” was their first on Irish soil
- 1994: Ireland (Dublin): It was ‘more of the same’ in 1994 for the Irish with another win in front of their home fans. This time in Dublin and with Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan singing “Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids.
Eurovision Hosts Record and Overall Winners Since 1956
See below the full list of past Eurovision Song Contest winners and the hosts record and finishing positions.
| Year | Winner | Host | Host Finishing Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Switzerland | Switzerland | 1st |
| 1957 | Netherlands | Germany | 4th |
| 1958 | France | Netherlands | 9th |
| 1959 | Netherlands | France | 3rd |
| 1960 | France | United Kingdom | 2nd |
| 1961 | Luxembourg | France | 4th |
| 1962 | France | Luxembourg | 3rd |
| 1963 | Denmark | United Kingdom | 4th |
| 1964 | Italy | Denmark | 9th |
| 1965 | Luxembourg | Italy | 5th |
| 1966 | Austria | Luxembourg | 10th |
| 1967 | United Kingdom | Austria | 14th |
| 1968 | Spain | United Kingdom | 2nd |
| 1969 | Spain, UK, France, Netherlands | Spain | 1st |
| 1970 | Ireland | Netherlands | 7th |
| 1971 | Monaco | Ireland | 11th |
| 1972 | Luxembourg | United Kingdom | 2nd |
| 1973 | Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 1st |
| 1974 | Sweden | United Kingdom | 4th |
| 1975 | Netherlands | Sweden | 8th |
| 1976 | United Kingdom | Netherlands | 9th |
| 1977 | France | United Kingdom | 2nd |
| 1978 | Israel | France | 3rd |
| 1979 | Israel | Israel | 1st |
| 1980 | Ireland | Netherlands | 5th |
| 1981 | United Kingdom | Ireland | 5th |
| 1982 | Germany | United Kingdom | 7th |
| 1983 | Luxembourg | Germany | 5th |
| 1984 | Sweden | Luxembourg | 10th |
| 1985 | Norway | Sweden | 3rd |
| 1986 | Belgium | Norway | 12th |
| 1987 | Ireland | Belgium | 11th |
| 1988 | Switzerland | Ireland | 8th |
| 1989 | Yugoslavia | Switzerland | 13th |
| 1990 | Italy | Yugoslavia | 7th |
| 1991 | Sweden | Italy | 7th |
| 1992 | Ireland | Sweden | 22nd |
| 1993 | Ireland | Ireland | 1st |
| 1994 | Ireland | Ireland | 1st |
| 1995 | Norway | Ireland | 14th |
| 1996 | Ireland | Norway | 2nd |
| 1997 | United Kingdom | Ireland | 2nd |
| 1998 | Israel | United Kingdom | 2nd |
| 1999 | Sweden | Israel | 5th |
| 2000 | Denmark | Sweden | 7th |
| 2001 | Estonia | Denmark | 2nd |
| 2002 | Latvia | Estonia | 3rd |
| 2003 | Turkey | Latvia | 24th |
| 2004 | Ukraine | Turkey | 4th |
| 2005 | Greece | Ukraine | 19th |
| 2006 | Finland | Greece | 3rd |
| 2007 | Serbia | Finland | 17th |
| 2008 | Russia | Serbia | 6th |
| 2009 | Norway | Russia | 11th |
| 2010 | Germany | Norway | 20th |
| 2011 | Azerbaijan | Germany | 10th |
| 2012 | Sweden | Azerbaijan | 4th |
| 2013 | Denmark | Sweden | 14th |
| 2014 | Austria | Denmark | 9th |
| 2015 | Sweden | Austria | 26th |
| 2016 | Ukraine | Sweden | 5th |
| 2017 | Portugal | Ukraine | 24th |
| 2018 | Israel | Portugal | 26th |
| 2019 | Netherlands | Israel | 23rd |
| 2020 | COVID (Cancelled) | ||
| 2021 | Italy | Netherlands | 23rd |
| 2022 | Ukraine | Italy | 6th |
| 2023 | Sweden | United Kingdom | 25th |
Note: Winning hosts are highlighted
Ireland Were The Last Eurovision Winning Host In 1994
The last Eurovision winning host was in 1994 when Ireland saw Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan sing “Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids” to victory in Dublin.
This means the competition is on a 30-year run with no host going all the way.
Ireland are also no strangers to winning Eurovision in Sweden as they landed the top spot in 1992 when the event was also staged in this year’s city – Malmo.
After getting through the semi-finals, Ireland have also made their first Eurovision final since 2018.
48% Of Eurovision Hosts Have Finished In The Top 5
Since the first Eurovision in 1956, the results table for the hosts above also tells us that just under half of the countries hosting the event (48%) have finished in the top 5 that year.
This is made up with 32 of the last 67 hosts hitting a top 5 finish the year they were staging the event.
However, this top 5 host stat has bit the buffers a bit in recent years with six of the last eight hosts finishing 23rd or worse.
Italy came 6th in 2022, but the last Eurovision host to finish in the top 5 was Sweden in 2016.
72% Of Eurovision Hosts Have Finished In The Top 10
Despite only six past hosts also winning Eurovision, the entertaining countries will have a top record of finishing in the top 10.
Since 1956, we’ve seen a massive 48 Eurovision hosts end with the top 10 highest points. Which equates to a 72% strike-rate.
However, a bit like the ‘top 5’ host stats, the top 10 has taken a few hits in recent times. With just two of the last eight renewals seeing the hosts end in the top 10 points.
2024 Eurovision Hosts Sweden 150/1 To Win Eighth Title
It’s been 30 years since Eurovision had a winning host, which was Ireland in 1994, and that run looks likely to continue with the best betting sites pricing up Sweden in 2024 at 150/1
Sweden, who are the joint-winning most nation with Ireland with seven wins, will be hoping to defy the odds with Marcus & Martinus performing “Unforgettable” (watch below).
Eurovision Betting Odds 2024
To, end you can see below the latest Eurovision betting odds 2024, plus the winning % based on these bookmaker prices.
| Country | Betting Odds | Winning % |
| Croatia | 5/6 | 54.5% |
| Israel | 7/2 | 22.2% |
| Switzerland | 9/2 | 18.2% |
| France | 14/1 | 6.7% |
| Ireland | 16/1 | 5.9% |
| Ukraine | 20/1 | 4.8% |
| Italy | 25/1 | 3.8% |
| Netherlands | 50/1 | 2% |
| Greece | 80/1 | 1.23% |
| Finland | 125/1 | 0.79% |
| Norway | 125/1 | 0.79% |
| Lithuania | 150/1 | 0.66% |
| United Kingdom | 150/1 | 0.66% |
| Sweden | 150/1 | 0.66% |
| Georgia | 150/1 | 0.66% |
| Armenia | 150/1 | 0.66% |
| Austria | 150/1 | 0.66% |
| Slovenia | 200/1 | 0.50% |
| Cyprus | 200/1 | 0.50% |
| Germany | 300/1 | 0.40% |
| Portugal | 300/1 | 0.33% |
| Spain | 300/1 | 0.33% |
| Luxembourg | 300/1 | 0.33% |
| Estonia | 300/1 | 0.33% |
| Latvia | 300/1 | 0.33% |
| Serbia | 300/1 | 0.33% |
Note: Odds are correct as 10th May 2024 but subject to change
