Dawn Bowden MS, Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip
Members will wish to be aware that the following joint statement on the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest has been issued by Cardiff, the Welsh Government and Principality Stadium.
Since it was confirmed that the UK would host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, Cardiff Council, the Welsh Government and Principality Stadium have been working at pace to establish the feasibility of a bid to host the event in Wales’ capital city.
Cardiff’s very strong track record in hosting major events, and the world-class Principality Stadium, would have made it a natural fit for such a significant production.
The BBC, as the event organisers, have released detailed specifications for each city wishing to bid to host the event. As partners, we have been working through these in detail. It is clear that on many of these, Cardiff would have a very strong case to become the host city for Eurovision 2023.
However, the complexity of staging the event means that a significant number of scheduled events in the Principality Stadium during Spring 2023 would have to be cancelled as a result. These include the European Wheelchair Rugby Championships, 'The Road to Principality', a key event in the WRU Community rugby calendar, and a major international artist contracted to appear, among other events.
We have been in rapid discussion with the BBC to explore any potential options which might have been able to accommodate the event alongside the existing schedule. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find a workable solution, and therefore we have collectively agreed that it will not be possible for a Cardiff bid to go forward. We thank the BBC for their positive engagement with us, and we wish the winning city all the best in staging the 2023 competition.
This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep members informed. Should members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Senedd returns I would be happy to do so.