ESC 2023 in Liverpool: broadcast times, streams, rules and more at a glance

The 67th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Liverpool on May 13th. Who has a starting place – and what else you need to know about the ESC.

This year the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Liverpool. Last year, the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the competition. However, due to the local political situation, the ESC will not take place in the winning country as usual this year. Instead, England are the hosts this year.

Here you can find out why the winning country and the so-called Big Five have a guaranteed starting place – and what else you should know about the Eurovision Song Contest.

1. Semifinals:
May 9, 2022, 9 p.m
Sender: ARD-Sender ONE
Livestream: eurovision.de
Also: ARD media library

2nd semi-final:
May 11, 2022, 9 p.m
Sender: ARD-Sender ONE
Livestream: eurovision.de
Also: ARD media library

Finale:
May 13, 2021, 9 p.m
Channel: Das Erste, ARD channel ONE
Livestream: eurovision.de
Also: ARD media library

It all started in Switzerland: the first broadcast took place on October 19, 1955. At that time, only seven countries took part: Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The voting system was also less spectacular than today: each country provided two jury members who rated the songs – including those from their own country.

In the semifinals, the candidates sing for the limited places in the Grand Prix final. A total of ten places are up for grabs in each semi-final. Many people often wonder why Germany is always in the final despite a bad number of points.

This is because it is part of the so-called Big Five with France, Great Britain, Spain and Italy – and thus always has a guaranteed starting place. These five countries fund most of the EBU. The defending champion also gets a place in the final of the following year.

The organizers always emphasize that it’s not called the European Song Contest but the Eurovision Song Contest – which is why all countries that are in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) can take part. Countries like Israel or Azerbaijan take advantage of this opportunity.

The exception is Australia: Down Under, the ESC has had a large fan base since 1974. In 2015, the country was allowed to take part in the final for the 60th anniversary of the competition and immediately achieved fifth place. A one-time thing, it was said at first. In 2023 Australia is now sending its eighth artist into the race.

The catalog of rules of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is responsible for the event, is constantly growing. These are the most important conditions:

• The participating artist must be at least 16 years old at the time of the semifinals. For younger singers there is the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.
• The contest song may not be released before September 1 of the previous year.
• The song performed must not be longer than three minutes.
• A maximum of six people are allowed on the stage. Animals are expressly forbidden.
• The language of the song is freely selectable.
• All participants must sing LIVE
• Political topics are strictly forbidden – the songs are intended for entertainment, not for political instrumentalization.

The ESC has had a new voting system since 2016. The famous “Douze Points” have been replaced with 24. Viewers can vote for their favorite via app, SMS or phone. These votes then count for 50 percent. The remaining points are awarded by five jury members from each participating nation.

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest venue is Liverpool, a city in north-west England. Under the motto “United by Music”, a total of 37 participating countries are humming around the Grand Prix this year.