ROTTERDAM 2020 · CANCELLED
The 65th Eurovision Song Contest never reached the stage. It was cancelled on 18 March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across Europe.
The European Broadcasting Union announced the cancellation on 18 March 2020 after exploring alternative options. The spread of COVID-19, travel restrictions and measures imposed by governments and Dutch authorities made the planned live event impossible to continue safely.
Rotterdam Ahoy was due to host the Contest. The Semi-Finals were scheduled for 12 and 14 May, with the Grand Final on Saturday 16 May 2020. Forty-one countries had intended to participate and all 41 songs had been selected before the cancellation.
No competitive replacement was used to declare an official winner. Instead, “Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light” honoured the selected artists and songs in a non-competitive broadcast on 16 May. Rotterdam later remained the host city for Eurovision 2021.