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A first look at how Europe will compete this May

The journey to Eurovision 2026 officially kicked off on 12 January, when the Semi-Final Allocation Draw was held at Vienna City Hall. With this event, fans finally got a clearer picture of how the competition will unfold during Eurovision week — and, as always, it didn’t take long for opinions, predictions, and excitement to start spreading online.

Hosted by TV presenter Alexandra Maritza Wachter and Eurovision alumnus Cesár Sampson, the ceremony blended tradition with celebration, marking the beginning of what promises to be a very special year for the contest.

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Passing the Torch to Vienna

Before the draw began, there was a symbolic handover moment, as last year’s host city officially passed Eurovision responsibilities to Vienna. It was a reminder that Eurovision isn’t just a competition, but a shared European tradition that travels from city to city, bringing people together through music.

As the host of the 70th edition of the contest, Vienna is already preparing to welcome artists, delegations, and fans from all over the world.

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How the Semi-Finals Were Decided

The draw itself was split into two parts. First, the host country Austria and the “Big Five” — France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom — learned which semi-final they will vote in and perform during. Even though these countries are already qualified for the Grand Final, they will still take the stage in the semi-finals, giving viewers the chance to see every song more than once.

Next came the moment everyone was waiting for: the allocation of the 30 competing countries into the two semi-finals and into either the first or second half of each show. The exact running order will be revealed later, but for now, the line-ups already give fans plenty to analyse.

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Semi-Final 1 – 12 May

First Half
Georgia, Portugal, Croatia, Sweden, Finland, Moldova, Greece

Second Half
Montenegro, Estonia, San Marino, Poland, Belgium, Lithuania, Serbia, Israel

Germany and Italy will be voting in this semi-final.

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Semi-Final 2 – 14 May

First Half
Armenia, Romania, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Czechia

Second Half
Albania, Denmark, Cyprus, Norway, Malta, Australia, Ukraine, Latvia

Austria, France, and the United Kingdom will cast their votes and perform here.

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What Happens Next?

Both semi-finals will use a mix of public televoting and jury votes to decide the results. The top 10 countries from each show will move on to the Grand Final on Saturday, 16 May — where the Eurovision trophy will once again be up for grabs.

Naturally, Eurovision fans have already started debating which countries have an advantage, which semi-final looks tougher, and who might become an early favourite. And with months still to go, these discussions are only just beginning.

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Eurovision 2026 in Vienna

All three live shows will take place at the Wiener Stadthalle, a venue that many fans will remember from Eurovision 2015. This year, Eurovision returns with the familiar slogan “United by Music”, celebrating not only new songs, but also 70 years of shared Eurovision history.

With the semi-final line-ups now confirmed, the countdown to May has truly begun and Europe is ready to tune in once again.

Just 119 days left until the first semi-final!

So, stay tuned!