Portugal 2017: RTP confirms Lisbon as Eurovision 2018 host city; MEO Arena potential venue.

The Portuguese national broadcaster RTP didn’t lose any time and confirmed just a couple of days after the country was crowned with Eurovision 2017 victory , that Lisbon will be the host city for the next Eurovision Song Contest.

According to first estimations the budget for RTP to organize the next Eurovision Contest will reach the amount of 30 million euros, which equals with the 16% of its total financing. However, like in previous years , the organizers will seek for sponsors and alternative financing sources to cover the demanding expenses.

Discussion is rising regarding possible venue options for the competition but the impressive MEO ARENA seems to have a lead on being the venue for the 63rd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018.

MEO Arena (originally, and still popularly referred to as Pavilhão Atlântico) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Lisbon, Portugal. The Arena is among the largest indoor arenas in the European Union and the largest in Portugal with a capacity of 20,000 people and was built in 1998 for Expo ’98. It is named after its main sponsor, MEO. The decision to build the Pavilhão Atlântico within the masterplan of Expo 98 allowed the arena to have a catchment area well beyond the city of Lisbon. Being a short distance from Gare do Oriente and several major highway interchanges, allows the arena to draw spectators from all over the country.