THE Dutch port city of Rotterdam agreed Thursday to host the 2021 Eurovision song contest, one of the world’s largest televised events, after this year’s edition was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rotterdam’s city council voted in favour of covering 6.7 million euros (US$7.54 million) in costs resulting from the cancelation of the 2020 event, news agency ANP reported.

Organizers had announced in March that this year’s competition could not proceed in Rotterdam in May due to COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

The Ahoy events venue, where the contest had been due to be held, has since been temporarily outfitted to house coronavirus patients.

Broadcasters and the Ahoy “can count on Rotterdam as host city,” ANP quoted city council member for culture, Said Kasmi, as saying on Thursday after the vote.

New dates have not yet been set for the 2021 edition.

Eurovision features live musical numbers from each participating country — more than 50 countries in recent editions, reaching beyond European borders to Israel and Australia. Countries vote for each others’ entries in a complex system beloved by fans.

The Netherlands was to host the 2020 event after Dutch singer-songwriter Duncan Laurence won the 2019 event with a song called “Arcade.”

The 65th edition of the event was expected to draw a television audience of up to 200 million.  (SD-Agencies)