The 70th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off with the first semi-final in Vienna, Austria, amid continued controversy over Israel’s participation.
The country was issued a formal warning by Eurovision last week over broadcaster Kan’s endorsement of a video from delegate Noam Bettan calling for viewers to use all 10 of their allocated votes on him.
Bettan’s performance of his song “Michelle” on Tuesday (12 May) was disrupted at the beginning by audible shouts from members of the live audience of “stop the genocide”. He was up against favourites including Finland’s Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkone, Greece’s contestant Akylas, and Moldova’s Satoshi, with all four contestants ultimately voted through to the grand final.
The UK’s delegate Look Mum No Computer, who is guaranteed a spot in the final along with other “Big Four” members France, Germany and Italy, will perform live during the second semi-final on Thursday 14 May.
Spain, another member of the “Big Five”, withdrew from the contest this year after Israel was permitted to compete.
Viewers in the UK will be able to watch live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 8pm.
Eurovision 2026 key points
- Eurovision 2026: The 15 countries through to the final so far
- Eurovision gives Israel formal warning over call for viewers to ‘vote 10 times’
- Finland’s Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen on the ‘sad’ meaning behind their Eurovision 2026 song
- Eurovision’s 10 best winners of all time, from ABBA to Celine Dion
- Which countries have dropped out of Eurovision 2026 and why?
That's all from me folks...
22:34 , Roisin O'ConnorI’m off to bed - it’ll be my brilliant colleague Rachel live-blogging the second semi-final on Thursday, before my glorious return for the grand final on Saturday.
Until then, goodnight!
Eurovision 2026: The 15 countries through to the final so far
22:32 , Roisin O'Connor
The 15 countries through to the Eurovision 2026 final so far
OK, FINALLY, the results are in, and after this I'm going to bed
22:19 , Roisin O'ConnorThe moment of truth, the votes have been counted... here are the 10 countries going through to the Eurovision 2026 final:
1. Greece
2. Finland
3. Belgium
4. Sweden
5. Moldova
6. Israel
7. Serbia
8. Croatia
9. Lithuania
10. Poland
Loving the bizarre Australia vs Austria duet
22:05 , Roisin O'ConnorThis is actually a bop? Former Australian rep the Milkshake Man is going toe to toe with Austrian hosts Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski as they sing in defence of their respective countries.
The results are about to come in!
21:53 , Roisin O'ConnorStill a bit longer to wait but here are my predictions for the 10 countries making it through tonight (not based on preference, just what I think will have won voters over).
Moldova
Sweden
Croatia
Greece
Finland
Estonia
Israel
Belgium
Poland
Montenegro
A slightly pointed remark from the hosts about the voting rules
21:35 , Roisin O'ConnorAsking viewers to “spread the love” and not just use their 10 votes on the same song... as many believe this is exactly what propelled Israel to second place last year.
Poland... what?
21:30 , Roisin O'ConnorPoland are giving Nosferatu and not in a hot way.
It’s just a touch too self-serious, without the necessary pomp and camp needed for something like this.
An excellent vocal performance from Poland
21:29 , Roisin O'ConnorPolish contestant ALICJA might just have scored a spot in the final with that vocal performance, tremendous. Possible the strongest singer this year.
PICTURES: Boy George performs with San Marino contestant SENHIT
21:27 , Roisin O'Connor
This song is objectively awful
21:22 , Roisin O'ConnorThe gays in my group chat are going off about this one, they love it. They’re also screaming because I just said SENHIT looks like she’s dressed in the tickets you win at the seaside arcade.
San Marino meets... Boy George!
21:20 , Roisin O'ConnorFor those who weren’t in the know, yes, that is Boy George on the stage performing with (Italian) singer SENHIT for San Marino. It’s basically a cameo, it’s weird, but it makes sense.
Is it a bird? Is it the Blue Man Group? No, it's Lithuania!
21:19 , Roisin O'ConnorI think Lithuania’s act Lion Ceccah is supposed to be a robot trapped in his body and yearning for human connection. That’s just a guess, that’s the vibe he’s giving. He’s singing in about five different languages so it’s all a bit confusing. If he could sing in just one of them in the right key, that would be good.
Next up... Belgium
21:14 , Roisin O'ConnorI’m going to make a bold claim that the remaining few acts are a tad underwhelming.
Here’s what’s coming up:
11. Belgium: ESSYLA - “Dancing on the Ice”
12. Lithuania: Lion Ceccah - “Sólo Quiero Más”
13. San Marino: SENHIT - “Superstar”
14. Poland: ALICJA - “Pray”
15. Serbia: LAVINA - “Kraj Mene”
Belgium’s ESSYLA feels weirdly off-base - I don’t know what it is, almost like the song doesn’t know what it is? Is it a pop banger, a club anthem, a ballad?! For me, it doesn’t have that Big Moment you need to make a song really stick in voters’ heads.
Why Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026 is so controversial
21:11 , Roisin O'ConnorHere’s everything you need to know about the controversy surrounding Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026:
Why Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026 is so controversial
Now for Israel...
21:00 , Roisin O'ConnorRepresenting Israel tonight is Noam Bettan singing “Michelle”, a 28-year-old singer.
Some audible shouts of “stop the genocide” in the live audience continuing through his performance.
Estonia's Vanilla Ninja, meanwhile, are giving Hannah Montana
20:56 , Roisin O'ConnorI don’t even mean that in a bad way, really. This is what the UK’s Remember Monday SHOULD have been doing last year, just more upbeat and catchy and silly.
Less keen on Montenegro
20:55 , Roisin O'ConnorThis is Tamara Živković, and she’s giving demonic Dua Lipa.
I was a big fan of Finland’s performance though, I thought they smashed that - they should sail through to the final.
Finland’s Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen on the ‘sad’ meaning behind their Eurovision 2026 song
20:50 , Roisin O'Connor
Finland’s Eurovision 2026 entry on the ‘sad’ meaning behind their song
Did you spot the surprise cameo from Will Ferrell?
20:48 , Roisin O'ConnorNo, you weren’t hallucinating, that really was Will Ferrell making an appearance during the “what Eurovision means to me” segment of the evening.
Ferrell is a massive Eurovision fan, in case you didn’t know, and actually made a whole (very good) comedy film about an Icelandic duo chasing their dream to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Italy's turn to perform with Sal Da Vinci
20:43 , Roisin O'ConnorJust 10 of the 15 acts competing tonight can win a place in the final, while the other two of tonight’s performances, from Italy and Germany, are guaranteed a spot in the contest on Friday as members of the “Big Five” - the countries who make the biggest financial contributions to Eurovision each year.
A reminder that Spain, another of the “Big Five”, isn’t taking part in 2026, having withdrawn over Israel’s continued participation.
Italy is represented this year by Sal da Vinci, which is possibly the most Italian name to have ever Italianed.
Sal is this year’s oldest competitor, aged 57!
Georgia deliver the weird and wonderful Bzikebi and their song 'Replay'
20:37 , Roisin O'ConnorI can’t see Georgia advancing to the final, unfortunately, but I’m prepared to be wrong. And at least for now we can appreciate the Power Rangers-style outfits and low-effort choreography.
Rylan's pronunciation of Eurovision acts is making me wince
20:33 , Roisin O'ConnorThe Bandeedose doi Cantoy, was that, Rylan?
Anyway, give it up for Portuguese Westlife, I love them. They’re singing in the traditional Cante Alentejano style, and I think it is understated and very lovely.
It's time for Akylas!
20:27 , Roisin O'ConnorGreece’s entry Akylas is another personal favourite - his song “Ferto” is about the disparity between the pursuit of wealth and looking after your emotional wellbeing. Not entirely disimilar to some of the themes on the song from UK entry Look Mum No Computer. I’d argue this one from Akylas is executed far better.
Now for Croatia
20:23 , Roisin O'ConnorI LOVE this group, LELEK, representing Croatia with the song “Andromeda”. It’s dark and mysterious and evocative.
Also, I forget every year how quickly we absolutely blast through the semi-finals, it really is a whirlwind. I hope you’re all making notes of your favourites.
Next up... Sweden
20:19 , Roisin O'ConnorAs always, really, Sweden is considered one of the favourites to win this year’s contest. I’m not convinced - as we’re hearing now, her vocals are VERY wobbly, and the song is a bit of a generic Swedish pop banger a la Max Martin. Of course, the Swedes absolutely OWN this genre, I just wish it wasn’t so predictable.
Satoshi opens Eurovision 2026 with a bang
20:17 , Roisin O'Connor
They brought back the stilts!
20:16 , Roisin O'ConnorThis has been a thing in Eurovision staging a few times: the lady on giant stilts with a flowing skirt. Visually impressive? Sure. Overdone? Definitely.
Let's go Moldova!
20:15 , Roisin O'ConnorSee what I mean? Absolutely bonkers. And it’ll be in your head for weeks now. Enjoy!
I'm very excited about the first performance...
20:13 , Roisin O'ConnorWe’ll be kicking things off with Moldova’s entry, Satoshi, with the very exuberant “Viva, Moldova!”, a kind of half-rap, half-sung frenzy. It’s bonkers and just the sort of thing Eurovision loves. Anyway, I’m just saying, prepare yourselves.
A reminder to UK viewers - you cannot vote tonight!
20:11 , Roisin O'ConnorIf you’re watching from the UK, do not try and vote this evening. You’ll be able to vote on THURSDAY, in the second semi-final.
Opening film celebrates 70 years of Eurovision
20:07 , Roisin O'ConnorSo the traditional opening film follows “Tony” through the years as he watches the Eurovision Song Contest, celebrating its 70th anniversary. It definitely seems like an attempt to remind viewers what Eurovision is supposed to be about, amid ongoing controversy over Israel’s involvement.
Alright, here we go
20:03 , Roisin O'ConnorIt’s that time... *cracks knuckles. The first Eurovision semi-final is kicking off in Vienna, Austria, and I’m going to be bringing you my annual dose of witty commentary and withering critique. I hope you’ve got your snacks ready.
Why is Israel allowed to participate in Eurovision and who has demanded they be banned?
19:50 , Roisin O'ConnorHere’s everything you need to know about Israel’s controversial participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest:
Greece’s Eurovision 2026 entry Akylas wrote song ‘Ferto’ about ‘greed and overconsumption’
19:44 , Roisin O'ConnorGet to know Greece’s contestant Akylas ahead of his performance in tonight’s semi-final:
Greece’s Eurovision 2026 entry Akylas wrote song ‘Ferto’ about ‘overconsumption’
Here's another reminder of tonight's running order!
19:32 , Roisin O'ConnorLess than an hour to go, are you ready?
Eurovision 2026: Running order for the first and second semi-finals
Portugal’s Eurovision 2026 entry Bandidos do Cante share ‘the one thing people should know about us’
19:16 , Roisin O'ConnorThere’s a fair bit of negativity around these guys but I actually like them, they’re kind of like the Portuguese Westlife only with a more romantic, traditional influence of Cante Alentejano.
Read more about them here:
Portugal’s Bandidos do Cante share ‘the one thing people should know about us’
When and where Eurovision is taking place this year, and how to watch
18:55 , Roisin O'Connor
When and where Eurovision 2026 is taking place – and how to watch
VIDEO: Italy's Eurovision 2026 contestant Sal Da Vinci rehearses song 'Per Sempre Si'
18:34 , Roisin O'ConnorVIDEO: Portugal's Eurovision 2026 contestant Bandidos do Cante rehearses song 'Rosa'
18:03 , Roisin O'ConnorThe full running order for the first semi-final
17:53 , Roisin O'ConnorA reminder of who’s performing tonight so you can keep an eye out for your favourites...
First semi-final - Tuesday 12 May
01. Moldova: Satoshi - “Viva, Moldova!”
02. Sweden: FELICIA - “My System”
03. Croatia: LELEK - “Andromeda”
04. Greece: Akylas - “Ferto”
05. Portugal: Bandidos do Cante - “Rosa”
06. Georgia: Bzikebi - “On Replay”
*** Italy: Sal Da Vinci - “Per Sempre Sì”
07. Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen - “Liekinheitin”
08. Montenegro: Tamara Živković - “Nova Zora”
09. Estonia: Vanilla Ninja - “Too Epic To Be True”
10. Israel: Noam Bettan - “Michelle”
*** Germany: Sarah Engels - “Fire”
11. Belgium: ESSYLA - “Dancing on the Ice”
12. Lithuania: Lion Ceccah - “Sólo Quiero Más”
13. San Marino: SENHIT - “Superstar”
14. Poland: ALICJA - “Pray”
15. Serbia: LAVINA - “Kraj Mene”
Italy and Germany are both performing, but as fans will know, they are guaranteed a spot in the final due to their position as two of the “Big Five” countries who make the biggest financial contributions to Eurovision (this year without Spain, who withdrew in protest over Israel’s participation).
Eurovision’s 10 best winners of all time, from ABBA to Celine Dion
16:43 , Roisin O'ConnorElaborate staging, wacky costumes, and an abundance of great songs: Eurovision is a song contest like no other.
But Europe’s annual competition is so much more than a kitsch peculiarity: artists including Abba, Maneskin, Olivia Newton-John, Mahmood and Celine Dion have all achieved worldwide fame since performing on the Eurovision stage.
Though it began as a song-writing contest in 1956, having a strong and unique performance is just as important on today’s Eurovision stage. Balancing impressive vocals, skilful songwriting and visually interesting staging, this list ranks the Eurovision winners that found the sweet spot.
Eurovision’s 10 best winners of all time, from ABBA to Celine Dion
Eurovision gives Israel formal warning over call for viewers to ‘vote 10 times’
15:44 , Roisin O'ConnorIsrael’s national broadcaster has received a formal warning from Eurovision organisers after it encouraged viewers to “vote 10 times”.
The Israeli public broadcaster, known as Kan, was found to have broken the rules of the song contest on Friday (8 May) when it shared videos on social media encouraging fans to support its 2026 entry, Noam Bettan.
Full story:
Eurovision gives Israel formal warning over call for viewers to ‘vote 10 times’
VIDEO: UK Eurovision entry Look Mum No Computer shares story behind how he wrote 'Eins, Zwei, Drei'
14:41 , Roisin O'ConnorAt the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, politics once more intrudes upon this formerly big fun pop lark
13:40 , Roisin O'ConnorIf you need a refresher of everything that took place at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest, give Mark Beaumont’s review a read, here:
At Eurovision, politics once more intrudes upon this formerly big fun pop lark
Which countries have dropped out of Eurovision 2026 and why?
12:39 , Rachel McGrathMillions of fans across Europe (and Australia) will be tuning in to see if their nation’s act can bring home the Eurovision trophy this month – but five countries will be noticeably absent from this year’s song contest.
Amid a continued furore over the decision to allow Israel to compete, a number of countries – including one of the “Big Five” – have announced that they will not be taking part.
Here’s what’s going on:
Which countries have dropped out of Eurovision 2026 and why?
Finland’s Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen on the ‘sad’ meaning behind their Eurovision 2026 song
11:37 , Roisin O'ConnorAhead of their performance at tonight’s semi-final, I spoke with Finnish favourites Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, who opened up about the “sad” meaning behind their original song “Liekinheitin”.
Finland’s Eurovision 2026 entry on the ‘sad’ meaning behind their song
Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest is mired in controversy. Here’s why
10:38 , Louis ChiltonThe 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place this month – but the popular music event remains mired in controversy surrounding the involvement of Israel.
Several countries, including Spain – one of the “Big Five” nations ordinarily guaranteed a spot in the final – have withdrawn from the competition in protest at Israel’s participation.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organising body behind Eurovision, has faced calls to ban Israel for three years running, but has each time allowed Israel to remain in the competition.
Meanwhile, Israel’s broadcaster was issued a warning by Eurovision after competition rules with a video asking fans to vote for the country’s act 10 times.
This year the country is being represented by singer Noam Bettan, who will be competing with his song “Michelle”.
Here’s a breakdown of the controversy:
Israel’s role in the Eurovision Song Contest is mired in controversy. Here’s why
The running order for the first semi-final
09:38 , Roisin O'ConnorFinland is one of the favourites to win Eurovision 2026, and you’ll get to see them competing in tonight’s semi-final.
Other countries in the contest this evening including Greece’s Akylas with his song ‘Ferto’, Portugal’s Bandidos do Cante (they’re a bit like Portuguese Westlife, I love them), Croatia’s LELEK and Moldova’s brilliant Satoshi.
Here’s the full running order:
Eurovision 2026: Running order for the first and second semi-finals
Ireland to air Father Ted instead of Eurovision as it boycotts song contest over Israel
09:09 , Roisin O'ConnorIreland’s national broadcaster, RTE, is set to replace the final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest with a classic episode of the comedy Father Ted, in a move highlighting growing international protest against Israel’s participation.
On Saturday night, RTE 2 will air "A Song For Europe", the sitcom’s Eurovision-themed episode featuring priests Ted and Dougal performing "My Lovely Horse".
This decision is part of a broader boycott, with Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia refusing to send competitors to the 70th iteration of the song competition and opting not to broadcast the final, citing Israel’s war in Gaza. The Netherlands and Iceland are also not sending acts to compete but will still air the final.
Ireland to air Father Ted instead of Eurovision as it boycotts contest over Israel
Eurovision gives Israel formal warning over call for viewers to ‘vote 10 times’
08:37 , Roisin O'ConnorIsrael’s national broadcaster has received a formal warning from Eurovision organisers after it encouraged viewers to “vote 10 times”.
The Israeli public broadcaster, known as Kan, was found to have broken the rules of the song contest on Friday (8 May) when it shared videos on social media encouraging fans to support its 2026 entry, Noam Bettan.
In the clips, Bettan, who is competing this year with the song “Michelle”, told his fans to use all 10 of their allocated votes to support him in the first semi-final on Tuesday 12 May.
Full story:
Eurovision gives Israel formal warning over call for viewers to ‘vote 10 times’
When and where this year’s contest is taking place, and how to watch
07:40 , Roisin O'ConnorWell, the UK might not have much of a shot but at least things are looking good for Finland. The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest kicks off tonight in Vienna, Austria, with 35 countries vying for the win.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of time, if you’re planning on tuning in:
When and where Eurovision 2026 is taking place – and how to watch
