The fact that Ukraine is the big favorite in the bookmakers to win the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 has generated an important doubt among eurofans and the general public: What will happen to the tournament next year if Ukraine wins? Would the next edition be held in a country that is currently experiencing the barbarity of a war that seems to go on for a long time, according to experts?
Traditionally, the winning country of the musical contest organized by the EBU has the right to host the next edition, but this preference, at this time, could not be possible. The bombings and clashes between the Russian and Ukrainian armies continue to be present in many streets of the country morally and economically sunk by the armed conflict.
In this type of situation, the UER does not have established in the rules a protocol of action in the event that the winner cannot host the next edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, although it is not the first time that a Plan B has had to be resorted to, especially for economic reasons.
For example, in 1980, Israeli television refused to host the contest for the second consecutive year after winning with Gali Atari & Milk and Honey with ‘Hallelujah’, being the Dutch television NOS, ranked fifth in the previous edition, the one in charge of organizing it in The Hague after even Torremolinos (Málaga) proposed its Palacio de Congresos as the venue.
Something similar also happened at the 1974 festival, the year in which the mythical ABBA were proclaimed winners. Luxembourg also refused to host the festival again after it won for the second consecutive edition, being the British BBC, third ranked by Cliff Richard, the one in charge of producing it from the city of Brighton.
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In this sense, it might also make sense that Ukrainian television and the EBU put in place a mechanism similar to the case of Australia. In the event of victory, the oceanic country would have to reach an agreement with a participating television to host its edition within the European continent. Namely, outside its national territory, maintaining its status as host.
Although it is not a 100% reliable prediction tool, currently, Kalush Orchestra, the band that represents Ukraine with ‘Stefania’, has a 60% chance of winning this edition of Eurovision 2022according to bookmakers, followed by the UK (10%), Sweden (10%), Italy (6%) and Spain (4%)