Eurovision 2026 final: Air date and confirmed performers

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The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is almost here, and we now know the first ten countries that will compete in the grand final.

Tonight, seventeen countries performed in the Eurovision semi-finals. However, only fifteen had to compete for a place in the final because they are part of the ‘Big Four’ – countries automatically qualified.

Right now, Finland is the likely winner, but with another semi-final to go, anything is still possible.

By the end of Thursday, May 14th, we’ll know which 20 countries will compete in the final, alongside last year’s winner Austria and four major participating nations: France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, to determine the overall champion.

So, when is the grand final? Read on for everything you need to know about the big night.

When is the Eurovision 2026 final?

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 grand final will take place on Saturday 16 May.

The song contest is taking place in Austria this year, making it the third time the country has hosted the event.

Twenty-five performers will take the stage, all competing for the title of Eurovision champion.

Eurovision Song Contest 2026 finalists

Currently, five performers have already qualified for the final, either because their country is one of the ‘Big Five’ or because they won the competition last year.

  • Austria – ‘Tanzschien’ by Cosmó
  • France – ‘Regarde!’ by Monroe
  • Germany – ‘Fire’ by Sarah Engels
  • Italy – ‘Per Sempre Sì’ by Sal Da Vinci
  • United Kingdom – ‘Eins, Zwei, Drei’ by Look Mum No Computer

Spain has decided not to participate this year, following their withdrawal from Eurovision last year because Israel was competing.

RTVE, Spain’s public broadcaster, announced that its board decided back in September to pull out of the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participated.

As a huge Eurovision fan, I was really disappointed to hear that RTVE won’t be broadcasting the 2026 final – or even the semi-finals. It’s a real shame, and I’m going to miss watching it on their channel.

In addition, 10 acts qualified from the first semi-final, and are as follows:

  • Greece – Ferto by Akylas
  • Finland – Liekinheitin – Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen
  • Belgium – Dancing on the Ice – ESSYLA
  • Sweden – My System – FELICIA
  • Moldova – Viva, Moldova! – Satoshi
  • Israel – Michelle – Noam Bettan
  • Serbia – Kraj Mene – LAVINA
  • Croatia – Andromeda – LELEK
  • Lithuania – Sólo Quiero Más – Lion Ceccah
  • Poland – Pray – ALICJA

How to watch the Eurovision 2026 final

Viewers in the UK can watch the grand final on Saturday, May 16th at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Graham Norton will offer commentary for the BBC’s broadcast, and Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski will be live on location in Vienna.

How to vote in the Eurovision 2026 final

Voting begins right before the first song of the Eurovision grand final and stays open for about 40 minutes after the last song finishes.

The Eurovision Song Contest has received a lot of criticism for letting Israel compete this year, given the current war happening in Gaza.

As a big fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, I’m really disappointed to hear that several countries are choosing not to participate this year. It’s all because the European Broadcasting Union decided not to ban Israel from competing, and a lot of people feel strongly about that decision.

In December 2025, the EBU held a meeting where members voted to create rules preventing governments or outside groups from unfairly pushing certain songs to sway voting results. However, they did not vote on whether Israel would be allowed to participate.

The EBU announced that most of its members agreed there’s no need for another vote about taking part in the contest, and that the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest will go ahead as scheduled with extra safety measures.

After this announcement, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland all stated they would not be competing in Eurovision this year.

Ireland’s public broadcaster, RTÉ, has decided not to participate in this year’s contest due to the tragic loss of life and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which continues to endanger civilians.

The BBC, the UK broadcaster of the competition, stated its support for the EBU’s decision. In a statement, they explained that it’s about upholding the competition’s rules and ensuring inclusivity.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final will take place on Saturday 16 May 2026.

You can find a complete list of Eurovision winners, as well as see how many times the United Kingdom has won the competition.

Authors

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah writes about entertainment for TopMob, covering everything from popular TV shows and reality competitions to impactful documentaries. Before joining TopMob, she worked at The Tab, where she focused on reality TV and celebrity news. She has a degree in Journalism.

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2026-05-13 01:05