As Australia returns to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026 with pop star Delta Goodrem, many are wondering what would happen if the country took home the trophy. Newsbeat's Pete Allison explains the unique rules that would come into play.
Under Eurovision regulations, if Australia wins, the contest would not move to Sydney. Instead, the winning broadcaster — the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) member that allows Australia to participate — would co-host the event in Europe. Typically, this means the show would be staged in a European city, possibly in the United Kingdom or Germany, in partnership with the Australian broadcaster SBS.
Australia has been part of Eurovision since 2015 as a special guest, and a win would trigger this unprecedented co-hosting arrangement. The EBU has confirmed that Australia cannot host the contest down under due to time zone conflicts and the event's European roots.
So, while Australia can compete and even win, the trophy would come with a catch: the grand final would still be held on European soil, ensuring the song contest remains a European spectacle with a global twist.