Austrian broadcaster ORF has revealed that a pre-selection will be held to find its entry for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna.

Vienna Calling – Who will sing for Austria is the national final that will be used to select the Austrian song for Vienna 2026. Friday 20 February is the date to clear in your diaries if you want to see Austrian viewers decide on the entry that gets to represent the nation on home turf, ahead of the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest coming to us from Vienna on 12, 14 and 16 May.

ORF Program Director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz explained why a national final was the way forward for Austria going into the 70th:

"The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna is the biggest event to be held in Austria next year. Our declared goal is to engage and excite the entire country. Now that it's decided where the Eurovision Song Contest will take place, the focus is on who will represent Austria. We want to make this decision together with our audience and starting now, all artists can apply to participate."

Broadcaster ORF revealed that they are looking for 12 songs to form the lineup of the pre-selection, with song submissions opened on Monday 8 September. Artists, singers and bands with a suitable song are invited to register before Thursday 15 October at ORF's website .

The winner will be decided by a combination of a public vote and a jury vote.

It will be the first time that Austria has put together a pre-selection to choose its Eurovision song in 10 years. Back then, ZOË triumphed at the national final, going on to take Austria into the Grand Final of Stockholm 2016 with Loin d'ici , finishing in 13th place.