Sweden to host Eurovision 2013 in Malmo

Sweden will host the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in the southern city of Malmo, the competition's executive producer said today. Malmo is Sweden's third-largest city and the contest will be held from May 14-18 in the 15,000-capacity Malmo Arena,...

Sweden will host the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in the southern city of Malmo, the competition's executive producer said today.

Malmo is Sweden's third-largest city and the contest will be held from May 14-18 in the 15,000-capacity Malmo Arena, said Martin Osterdahl, the event's top producer for Sweden's public broadcaster SVT.

Sweden "has very big ambitions" and wants to make the kitsch contest "more dynamic and richer in emotion", he said.

According to the contest's rules, the winning nation at a competition hosts the following year's event. Singer Loreen wowed voters May 26 with her catchy techno-pop number "Euphoria" to claim Sweden's fifth victory.

"It will be a family celebration for all of Europe. Malmo, a multicultural city, is the ideal place for this international event," SVT head Eva Hamilton said in a statement.

Malmo also hosted the event in 1992 and other Swedish host cities include Stockholm and Gothenburg.

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