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The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 was the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. The contest was held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, following the country's victory at the with the song "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence. The Netherlands was due to host the, before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the fifth time that the Netherlands hosts the contest, the last time having been the.

Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcasters Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (NPO), Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) and AVROTROS, the contest will be held at Rotterdam Ahoy and will consist of two semi-finals on 18 and 20 May, and the final on 22 May 2021. The EBU discussed carryovers between the 2020 and 2021 contests, and several participating countries allocated the same artists who were due to represent them in 2020.

Forty-one countries will participate in the contest; exactly the same line-up of countries that would have competed in 2020. and will return after their absences from the 2019 contest, while  and  confirmed their non-participation.

Location
During the broadcast of Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light, which aired on 16 May 2020, it was announced that the 2021 contest will be held at Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The venue had previously hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007.

Preparations
Prior to the announcement and following the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, the EBU began talks with the Dutch public broadcasters NPO, NOS and AVROTROS, as well as the city of Rotterdam, which were to organise the 2020 contest, on the possibility of staging the 2021 contest in the city. On 23 April 2020, the municipal council of Rotterdam approved an increased budget after Dutch media reported that the city would require an additional €6.7 million to host the contest. The decision was imminent as it was required that the EBU be informed by late April if Rotterdam was willing to host the contest. NPO, NOS and AVROTROS had until mid-May 2020 to find an alternative if Rotterdam declined to host the event.

On 7 May 2020, the Dutch authorities prohibited all mass gatherings in the country until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. The host broadcasters stated that they were assessing the decision and how it would impact the event. On 18 September 2020, the EBU released a summary of contingency scenarios for the contest in the event it could not be held as normal (scenario A), including a normal but less-crowded production (scenario B), allowing acts to perform from their home country if they are unable to travel to Rotterdam (scenario C), and a lockdown scenario with a fully-remote format (which was trialed during the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in November 2020), with all acts performing from their home country, and no in-person festivities or audience in Rotterdam (scenario D).

In February 2021, the EBU and the host broadcasters stated that it had ruled out hosting the contest without social distancing, thus excluding scenario A.

Production
The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 will be a co-production between three related Dutch television organisations — Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (NPO), Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) and AVROTROS — of which each assumed a different role. Sietse Bakker and Astrid Dutrénit will serve as executive producers, while Emilie Sickinghe and Jessica Stam will serve as deputy executive producers.

In January 2020, the EBU announced that Martin Österdahl would become the executive supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest after the 2020 edition, succeeding Jon Ola Sand. Before his appointment, Österdahl had been an executive producer for the and  editions, and had been a member of the Eurovision Song Contest reference group between 2012 and 2018.

Visual design
On 18 September 2020, along with possible scenarios, the EBU confirmed that the planned visual design and slogan for 2020, "Open Up", will be used for the 2021 contest as well. The revamped official logo and branding was unveiled on 4 December 2020. Designed by Clever°Franke, it is "an abstract presentation inspired by the map of world and visually connects the location of the capitals of the 41 participating countries with Rotterdam as Europe's beating heart". The revamped visual identity, designed by MediaMonks and NEP, was built around patterns and 'tracks' that symbolises the Netherlands and "opening up".

Postcards
The concept of the 2021 postcards was revealed on 1 December 2020. Based on the "Open Up" theme of the contest, but in a departure from the initial concept created for the 2020 contest's postcards owing to travel restriction concerns, the postcards will now involve the artists being presented through footage shot in their country of origin, on the framework of a so-called 'tiny house' set up in various locations around the Netherlands. The postcard recordings will take place between March and April 2021.

Presenters
On 18 September 2020, along with possible scenarios, the EBU confirmed that the 2020 planned presenters will be appointed as the presenters for the 2021 contest as well: actress and television host Chantal Janzen, singer and commentator for the contest Jan Smit, singer Edsilia Rombley, who represented the Netherlands in the and  contests, and beauty vlogger Nikkie de Jager (NikkieTutorials). De Jager will also be the presenter of the contest's online content, including a behind-the-scenes YouTube series to be recorded with the participating artists.

Stage design
During the announcement of the dates of the 2021 contest, Sietse Bakker, executive producer of the 2021 contest, stated that the planned 2020 stage design will also be used in the 2021 contest. The design is inspired by the slogan "Open Up" and the typical Dutch flat landscape. The Eurovision stage was designed by German stage designer Florian Wieder, who also designed the stages for the contests in 2011–12, 2015, and 2017–19. Unlike the 2019 contest, the green room was placed inside the main performance venue.

Entries
Following the cancellation of the 2020 contest, the EBU explored the option of allowing the songs selected for the 2020 contest to compete in the 2021 contest, which needed to be discussed with the Eurovision Song Contest reference group and the national broadcasters. Victoria, Bulgaria's representative for 2020 and 2021, publicly expressed her support for such a move. However, on 20 March 2020, the reference group decided that, in accordance with the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest, the 2020 songs would not be eligible to compete in the 2021 contest.

Performances
On 18 November 2020, the EBU revealed that, as a measure to guarantee that all participants can take part in the contest, every national broadcaster will create a 'live-on-tape' recording prior to the contest which can be used if a participant cannot travel to Rotterdam, or subjected to quarantine on arrival. The recordings will take place in a studio setting, in real time (as it would be at the contest) without any edits to the vocals or any part of the performance itself after the recording. A set of production guidelines was also revealed to ensure fairness and the integrity of the recordings.

Backing vocals
On 18 June 2020, the EBU announced that pre-recorded backing vocals will be allowed for one year. The use of recorded backing vocals will be entirely optional. Each delegation can choose to use backing singers, whether on or off stage. A combination of live and recorded backing vocals will also be allowed. All lead vocals performing the melody of the song, including an eventual use of a so-called lead dub, shall still be live on or off stage in the arena.

Semi-final allocation draw
On 17 November 2020, the EBU confirmed that the semi-final allocation draw for the 2021 contest would not be held. Instead, the semi-finals will feature the same line-up of countries as determined by the draw for the 2020 contest's semi-finals, which was held on 28 January 2020 at Rotterdam's City Hall and hosted by contest presenters Chantal Janzen, Jan Smit and Edsilia Rombley. The draw also determined which semi-final each of the six automatic qualifiers – the Big Five plus the Netherlands – would have to vote in.

Opening and interval acts
Lenny Kuhr, one of the winners of the 1969 contest, and Alexander Rybak, winner of the 2009 contest, who were both due to perform at the cancelled 2020 contest, have expressed willingness to perform at the 2021 event. On 5 February 2021, it was announced that Lenny Kuhr and Getty Kaspers, winner of the 1975 contest with the band Teach-In and one of the planned guest performers at the 2020 contest, will be part of an as-yet unspecified interval act.

The second semi-final will be opened by breakdancer Redouan Ait Chitt (Redo) and Eefje de Visser. The final will be opened with a flag parade, introducing all twenty-six finalists, accompanied by music produced by 16-year-old DJ Pieter Gabriel.

Participating countries
The EBU announced on 26 October 2020 that forty-one countries would participate in the contest, featuring the same line-up of countries that were set to participate in the cancelled 2020 edition. Bulgaria and Ukraine will mark their return to the contest after their absences from the 2019 contest, while Hungary and Montenegro were confirmed as non-returning following their latest appearances in 2019.

Returning artists
After the cancellation of the 2020 contest, the following countries' participating broadcasters announced that, for the 2021 contest, they would internally select the same artists initially selected for 2020: Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. In addition, The Roop, who were set to represent, will represent the country in 2021 after winning the Lithuanian national selection for the second time in a row, and Uku Suviste, who won the Estonian selection in 2020, won it again in 2021.

So far, the contest is set to feature three representatives who also previously performed as lead vocalists for the same country, and six artists who participated in other Eurovision events or as backing vocalists for the same or for another country before 2020.

Semi-final 1
The first semi-final will take place on 18 May 2021 at 21:00 (CEST). Seventeen countries will participate in the first semi-final. Those countries plus Germany, Italy and the Netherlands will vote in this semi-final.

Semi-final 2
The second semi-final will take place on 20 May 2021 at 21:00 (CEST). Eighteen countries will participate in the second semi-final. Those countries plus France, Spain and the United Kingdom will vote in this semi-final.

Final
The final will take place on 22 May 2021 at 21:00 (CEST). Twenty-six countries will participate in the final, composing of the host country, the Big Five, and the ten best-ranked entries of each of the two semi-finals. All forty-one participating countries will vote in the final.

Other countries
Eligibility for potential participation in the Eurovision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active EBU membership that would be able to broadcast the contest via the Eurovision network. The EBU issued an invitation of participation in the contest to all active members. Associate member does not need an invitation for the 2021 contest, as it had previously been granted permission to participate at least until 2023.

Active EBU members

 * – In November 2019, Democrats for Andorra, the ruling party of Andorra, stated that the country would eventually return to the contest, with a cost assessment as a prerequisite. Susanne Georgi, the Andorran representative, stated in May 2020 that she had secured the funding required for the country to return to the contest. Later that year, on 1 August 2020, Georgi explained on Eurovision fan website Wiwibloggs' podcast that she had held a meeting with Prime Minister of Andorra Xavier Espot Zamora, in which they verbally agreed to make a return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 (as they did not want to participate under the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic).
 * – In October 2020, Bosnian broadcaster Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT) confirmed that the country would not return in 2021, citing ongoing financial issues. Bosnia and Herzegovina last participated in.
 * - In July 2020, RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg confirmed that Luxembourg would not participate in the 2021 contest, stating that they have no "focus on entertainment and music shows" and that participating in the contest "would put the broadcaster under a financial strain".
 * – Monégasque broadcaster TMC confirmed in September 2020 that they would not participate in the 2021 contest.
 * – Montenegrin broadcaster Radio and Television of Montenegro (RTCG) confirmed in October 2020 that they would not participate in the 2021 contest. They had previously withdrawn from competing in the later-cancelled 2020 contest due to a series of poor results and the costs associated with participation.
 * – In response to rumours that the EBU had been in discussions with Morocco regarding participation in the contest, Karim Sbai, the Director of Communications of Morocco's Société Nationale de Radiodiffusion et de Télévision, stated in February 2020 that Morocco's possible return to the contest had not yet been discussed. Ultimately, Morocco was not included on the final list of participating countries for the 2021 contest.
 * – In July 2020, a spokesperson from Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) stated that the broadcaster was unlikely to participate in the contest. RTVS confirmed their non-participation in August 2020.
 * – In May 2020, Faruk Kaymakcı, Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs & Director for EU Affairs, stated that he hoped to see Turkey returning to the contest. However, Turkey was not included on the final list of participating countries for the 2021 contest. Turkey last took part in 2012.

Associate EBU members

 * – In August 2020, the EBU stated that they had no intention to invite Kazakhstan to the 2021 contest.

Non-EBU members

 * – In August 2020, the EBU stated that they had no intention to invite Kosovo to the 2021 contest.
 * – In July 2020, Liechtensteiner broadcaster 1 FL TV announced that they had ruled out debuting in the 2021 contest. The broadcaster had attempted to become an EBU member in the past but halted its plans when its director, Peter Kölbel, unexpectedly died. It would also need the backing of the Liechtenstein government to be able to carry the cost of becoming an EBU member and paying the participation fee for the contest.

Broadcasters and commentators
All participating broadcasters may choose to have on-site or remote commentators providing an insight about the show to their local audience and, while they must broadcast at least the semi-final they are voting in and the final, most broadcasters air all three shows with different programming plans. Similarly, some non-participating broadcasters may still want to air the contest. These are the broadcasters that have confirmed their broadcasting plans and/or their commentators: