This afternoon, the mayor of Dutch capital city Amsterdam has confirmed that Amsterdam will not be formally bidding to host the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest.

In a letter to the council, mayor Femke Halsema has announced that Amsterdam will not be able to host the Eurovison Song Contest, citing lack of suitable venue. As reported by Dutch press, the three suitable sized venues in Amsterdam – the Ziggo Dome, the RAI and the Johan Cruijff ArenA – all have scheduling clashes with the six-to-eight week period which Eurovision demands availability for. Despite investigating the potential to cancel or move the prior-scheduled events, it has proven unsuccessful and the reservations are unable to be cancelled.

A spokesperson from broadcaster NPO has showed understanding to the decision stating:

A suitable location is one of the most important conditions for organizing the Songfestival. We want to thank Amsterdam for the interest and energy they have shown over the past period and assume that the Eurovision Song Contest will also be celebrated in Amsterdam.

With Amsterdam being the latest city to withdraw from the hosting race, five cities remain as we approach the final few days before the official bidding deadline passes. If nothing changes, the host city will be confirmed in August by the broadcasters and the EBU as one of Arnhem, Den Bosch, Maastricht, Rotterdam and Utrecht.

In May, Duncan Laurence won the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest with his track ‘Arcade’, bringing the contest back to the Netherlands for the first time since 1980. Listen to his winning performance below.

With five cities left in the race, where would you most want Eurovision to go to next year?