Eurovision 2026. Photo credit: Isabelle Ouvrard / imago stock&people / Profimedia
The drawing of lots to designate the participating countries in the two semi-finals of the Eurovision 2026 contest took place on Monday in Vienna, France Presse and Agerpres inform.
In the first semi-final, held on May 12, Israel, Montenegro, Estonia, Georgia, Portugal, San Marino, Croatia, Sweden, Poland, Belgium, Lithuania, Serbia, Finland, Moldova and Greece will compete.
In the second semi-final, on May 14, Albania, Denmark, Armenia, Romania, Cyprus, Switzerland, Norway, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Malta, Bulgaria, Australia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Latvia will compete.
The points awarded by the judges will be combined with the results of the public vote to determine the ten qualifying songs from each semi-final.
These 20 songs will be joined by Austria's entry, last year's winner and automatic participant in the final on May 16.
France, Germany, Italy and Great Britain also qualify directly for the finals, without taking part in the semi-final selection, thanks to their status as main sponsors.
Before the 70th edition, the Eurovision contest was marked by the most important boycott in its history related to the participation of Israel, a country accused by some of the participants of manipulating the public vote in the 2025 edition and of violating the freedom of the press in the war in Gaza.
Broadcasters in Spain, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Slovenia have announced their withdrawal.
Abolished in 2022, the professional jury will return in the semi-finals with a larger and more diverse presence, being made up of young jurors between the ages of 18 and 25.
Austria is hosting the 2026 edition of Eurovision in Vienna thanks to artist JJ, who won last year's edition held in Basel, Switzerland.
