THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - The Dutch port city of Rotterdam has been selected to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The European Broadcasting Union announced Friday that Rotterdam edged the southern city of Maastricht in the race to host the annual music competition.
The Netherlands won the right to host the 65th edition of the festival when Dutch singer Duncan Laurence won this year’s event in Tel Aviv with his doleful piano ballad “Arcade.”
Laurence was the first Dutch act to win the European musical extravaganza since Teach-In’s 1975 triumph with “Ding-a-dong.”
Rotterdam’s Ahoy arena will host the semifinals of next year’s event on May 12 and 14 and the grand final on May 16.
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