The Semi Final Allocation Draw and Host City Insignia Exchange for Eurovision 2023 will take place at the end of January. 

This joint ceremony is the first event in the annual Eurovision calendar to be organised by the host broadcaster, and this year will be arranged and broadcast by the BBC. 

Speaking on the latest episode of The Euro Trip, Councillor Harry Doyle confirmed the event will take place this month. 

“We have a certain event taking place at the end of the month, the official handover [of the] insignia,” he said. 

“So that is in the works. That’s on the top of the to-do list.” 

The last two allocation draws, held in 2020 and 2022, both took place on the last Tuesday of January. Sources suggest that this trend will continue in 2023 and, if confirmed, the event in Liverpool would be set to take place on January 31.

The venue for the event has not yet been announced. In 2022 it was hosted in Turin’s Palazzo Madama and Rotterdam held its event in its City Hall in 2020.

The Semi Final Allocation Draw determines in which Semi Final each participating country will perform in. The Big Five countries and host country will also find out which Semi Final they are required to broadcast and vote in. 

Councillor Harry Doyle, who also acts as an Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Culture & Visitor Economy at Liverpool City Council, also spoke about what else his team are currently planning. 

“We’ll be releasing the commissions of those who were successful as well in terms of the artwork and cultural commissions we put out before christmas. 

“There’s also a big piece of work starting this week to do with our communities in the city, as well as the Ukrainian communities who are settled here and how they can get involved. That is the top of the to-do list this week.”

Featured image – EBU