Eurovision 2026 opens with emotional tribute as Vicky Leandros returns to the song contest

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The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 began tonight with a moving and heartfelt introduction that touched many viewers.

The show began with a look back at Eurovision’s history, highlighting ’70 Years of Love’ – a film that tells the story of a couple whose lives unfold alongside the famous music competition.

After a touching short film featuring highlights from past contests – including a performance by previous winner Nemo – a choir of 70 people kicked off the first semi-final with a rendition of “L’amour Est Bleu,” a beloved classic from Eurovision history.

Vicky Leandros sang the song when Vienna hosted the Eurovision Contest for the very first time in 1967, and she remarkably returned to perform again 54 years later.

People online loved the touching opening of Eurovision, with many sharing emotional reactions. One viewer wrote that the first semi-final brought them to tears within the first five minutes, calling it a beautiful tribute to the show’s history.

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Someone commented that Austria’s current staging and presentation are an improvement over what they showed in 2015.

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Viewers reacted emotionally to the start of the Eurovision semi-finals, with many describing it as touching and heartwarming. One person commented, “What an emotional opening!” and another agreed, saying the opening clip was “so cute and emotional.”

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Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski then greeted everyone watching both in the arena and at home, kicking off the song contest.

Tonight’s Eurovision commentary team features Angela Scanlon and Rylan Clark. Rylan noted that 35 countries are competing this year.

Rylan pointed out that three countries were back in the competition, with Moldova kicking things off. He also mentioned that five countries had pulled out because Israel was still participating.

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

Several countries are choosing not to participate in this year’s contest because the organization in charge, the European Broadcasting Union, decided against banning Israel from competing.

In December 2025, the EBU held a meeting where members voted to establish rules preventing governments or outside groups from unfairly boosting 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 no further vote was needed regarding participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. The contest will move forward as scheduled, with extra safety measures added.

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

As a big fan of Eurovision, I was really saddened to hear RTÉ’s statement. They’ve decided it feels wrong for Ireland to participate this year, considering the terrible loss of life and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They feel it wouldn’t be right to go ahead with the contest while so many civilians are at risk.

The BBC, the UK broadcaster for the competition, stated it backs the EBU’s decision. In a statement, they explained it’s about following the competition’s rules and ensuring everyone feels welcome.

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

You can find a complete list of Eurovision winners, and also see how many times the United Kingdom has been victorious in the competition.

Authors

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah writes about entertainment for TopMob, covering everything from popular TV shows and reality competitions to important 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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2026-05-12 22:35