Introduction to Eurovision Song Contest 2026

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual event that gathers a variety of European nations in a competition to choose the best song on the Continent. The inspiration for the contest was based on the Italian San Remo festival.

The 1st Eurovision Song Contest was held in 1956, with the term being coined years before that during the London Evening Standard program. Years later, the term has become synonymous with the competition that a lot of people hold high and dear and tune in every year to watch. Eurovision 2026 promises to do just that as we are slowly counting down the days.

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What to Expect in 2026

The Eurovision 2026 host city will be Vienna, Austria. The city was selected after Austria won Eurovision 2025 in Basel with the song ‘Wasted Love’ performed by JJ, giving Austria the right to host in 2026.

Host City Highlights

While Vienna is Austria’s largest city, it certainly stands out as one of Europe’s cultural capitals. Known for its rich musical heritage, Vienna has been home to legendary composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss, and continues to host world-class concerts, opera, and theater performances. The city is also famous for its impressive architecture, from the grandeur of Schönbrunn Palace to the historic St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Vienna’s vibrant arts scene includes numerous museums and galleries, attracting art and history enthusiasts from around the world. The city also offers beautiful parks, scenic walks along the Danube, and charming coffeehouse culture that provides a quintessential Viennese experience. Additionally, Vienna hosts several annual events, including the Eurovision Village and festive city celebrations, making it a lively and engaging destination for visitors during the contest.

Meet the Participants of Eurovision 2026

This year, 35 countries will take part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, hosted in Vienna, Austria. The lineup brings a mix of familiar faces and exciting returns: Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania are rejoining the contest after several years away. At the same time, a few countries, including Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain, will not be participating this year. Fans can look forward to a diverse and dynamic competition, showcasing the best of European music on one of the biggest stages in the world.

Eurovision History and Memorable Moments

The first-ever Eurovision contest was held in 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland. Back then, there were only seven countries that participated in the inaugural contest, with the Swiss representative being the first winner. Lys Assia, who performed the song “Refrain”, went down in Eurovision history as the first-ever winner of the contest.

However, it was the ABBA Eurovision campaign that popularised the competition. To this day, ABBA is synonymous with the competition, even though they won it once in 1974 with the famed “Waterloo” performance.

Today, the competition is all about creating a spectacle as well as producing a memorable song. We are reminded each time when we see performers like Verka Serduchka with his “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” and Lordi’s “Hard Rock Hallelujah.”

Of course, we can’t forget about the wild Ruslana and her song “Wild Dance,” as well as the Loreen Eurovision history, having won it two times.

Australia and Eurovision

Out of all the Eurovision 2026 participants, the strangest one has to be Australia. Geographically not a part of Europe but a standard participant since 2015, the Aussies were invited by the contest’s Reference Group to participate in the 60th edition of the contest.

Initially, it was thought for Eurovision Australia to be a one-time thing, but they were invited once again the following year. Until it stuck, and they are to this day a standard member of the competition.

Eurovision Legends: Winners Through the Years

If we look back at the most recent history of the competition, Sweden has truly been a major participant in the show. Since 2012, they have won it three times. In fact, Sweden and Ireland are tied in first place with seven total wins.

Here is a turnaround at a couple of recent years and a list of Eurovision winners from the modern era.

Memorable Performances That Won Eurovision

The Eurovision history winners include performances that have captured the hearts and minds of viewers. While most have won it due to their powerful vocals and catchy songs, some managed to win thanks to one-of-a-kind performances and stage displays that were hard to miss.

While Loreen’s “Euphoria” was both a catchy song and a magnificent display of vocals, the same could be said for Måns Zelmerlöw’s “Heroes” and Marija Serifovic’s “Molitva.” Germany’s Lena managed to capture people’s hearts with a very catchy song titled “Satellite” in 2010.

But those that decided to employ a bit of a shock factor were Lordi in 2006. Performing “Hard Rock Hallelujah” dressed in horror monster outfits was something never seen before. Conchita Wurst was the first draw queen winner in 2014 with his titular title, “Rise Like a Phoenix.”

We definitely cannot forget “Wild Dances,” performed by Ruslana in 2004. It had everything: a powerful and rhythmic song, a catchy tune, and an energetic performance by the dancing crew—everything that a Eurosong contest winner needs.

Updates on Eurovision Winners Today

Most of the former Eurovision winners continued having illustrious careers. Unfortunately, some didn’t have the success they wanted to have even after winning the title.

Loreen, for instance, was one of Sweden’s biggest pop stars even back in 2012 when she won for the first time. Her stardom never actually stopped which she confirmed with her second title last year.

Sandie Shaw was Britain’s first-ever Eurovision winner back in 1967. She continued recording songs in French, German, Italian and even Spanish long after that. She had a few breaks here and there but eventually decided to retire in 2013.

Did you know that the French-Canadian singer Celine Dion is a former Eurovision winner? She won it for Switzerland in 1988. As we all know, she swept the world in 1997 with the “Titanic” theme song “My Heart Will Go On.” She sold over 200 million albums and is set to hit the road and go on a tour once again.

Salvador Sobral from Portugal broke the longest winless run for any country in 2017. He brought his home the title after 53 years of waiting. He even set a record for the biggest tally of points ever. Unfortunately, not long after that, he went on a hiatus from performing. Due to an ongoing heart issue, he was forced to take it easy.

Eurovision Success Stories

There have been so many success stories created by the Eurovision Contest that it is hard to count them all. One of the biggest has to be ABBA. For most, they are the reason they ever got into watching Eurosong. After their win, they went on to become one of the most popular pop groups in the world.

The same can be said for Lordi. They brought Finland their first and only title and have recently recorded their tenth album. They were the first Hard-Rock act to win the competition and it brought them more fame than they could have expected.

One of the most recent success stories is Måneskin, the 2021 winner. They brought attention to themselves with the win and are now known outside Italy as they are heading towards stardom on a global scale.

How to Get Eurovision 2026 Tickets?

Tickets for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna will be available soon, and fans around the world are already getting excited. The official Eurovision website is the best place to check for updates on ticket sales, pricing, and availability. Make sure to secure your Eurovision 2026 tickets early for the Grand Final, semi-finals, and special events like the Eurovision Village.

How Eurovision Voting Works

The Eurovision Song Contest consists of two semi-finals and the final competition. Traditionally, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom get an automatic pass to the finals. Alongside the hosting country, which is also the last winner, in this case Sweden.

10 top-rated performers from each of the two semi-finals will join these competitors in the finals, counting a total of 26 participants. The voting consists of two parts – judges and televoting. Points are spread from 1 to 12, with the top performer getting the biggest haul of points.

The points are then tallied together, and the winner is determined based on the highest number of points that a performer has amassed.

Eurovision 2026: Everything You Need to Know Summary

After reading all of this, you first need to determine how to watch it. After that, you only need to sit back and relax by watching top performances and excellent songs being sung.

You don’t have to be a Eurosong expert to enjoy it; you can watch it even if you are doing it for the first time and you might come up as a true fan after it.

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
👍Lots of fun to watch, even if you are not a long-time fan.	👎 Doesn’t have the most popular performers from the World.
👍 Breakout songs and excellent performances.	👎 The finals are better than the semi-finals.
👍 Something that you can discuss with your friends.	👎 /