Every year, Eurovision captivates audiences in front of their screens, drawing in countless music fans. Following the 2025 edition, won by Austrian artist JJ, the Eurovision Song Contest makes a highly anticipated return this spring. After two semi-finals held on May 12 and 14, the grand final is set to take place on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The event will be broadcast live from Vienna, Austria, on France 2.
As we await the performances of all the contestants in the upcoming semi-finals, who are the favorites? Who will come out on top in this year’s Eurovision contest? Does France stand a chance? Less than two months before the grand final, here are the top 5 favorites for Eurovision 2026, according to the bookmakers.
"Liekinheitin", the song performed by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen— Finland's representatives — seems to be captivating viewers! Since its reveal, the Nordic duo has taken the top spot in the bookmakers’ betting odds. As of March 23, 2026, they have a 28% chance of winning this year's contest. Now, all eyes are on whether the bookmakers’ predictions are accurate and if the duo of Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen will be crowned this year's Eurovision champions.
Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen are already well-known in their homeland of Finland. On one side, Linda Lampenius is a renowned classical violinist. She joined the Helsinki Junior Strings orchestra at just eight years old, and, under her stage name Linda Brava, she has toured extensively across North America, Europe, and Asia during her teenage years. Since then, she has released several solo albums that have topped charts in Finland, Sweden, and the UK. On the other side, singer Pete Parkkonen gained nationwide fame after competing in the popular TV show Idols, where he finished third in 2008. He has since released multiple albums.
For the 70th edition of Eurovision, the two artists have come together to showcase their talents with the song "Liekinheitin", a vibrant fusion of rock, classical music, and dance.
Once again, France is strongly tipped to win the 70th edition of Eurovision according to bookmakers. Each year, the country consistently ranks among the top five favorites. So, could the 2026 contest finally be the one for the young artist Monroe? Will France break its nearly five-decade drought and secure victory, 49 years after Marie Myriam’s win? The answer will be revealed on May 16th! Until then, bettors have placed the French entrant second in their predictions. Currently, Monroe is seen as having a 12% chance of winning this spring’s competition.
Discovered by the wider public in 2025 after winning the show « Prodiges » on France 2, Monroe has chosen to showcase her vocal power and modernity with the song "Regarde!." A classically trained opera singer who grew up between France and the United States, she was introduced to singing and piano at an early age. Building her career step by step, Monroe is forging a distinct, contemporary artistic identity.
Will her song "Regarde !" be enough to land her the top spot on May 16th? Stay tuned to find out! It's worth noting that France is part of the renowned "Big-4", along with Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. This status automatically secures them a spot in the final.
Søren Torpegaard Lund : remember this name, as you're likely to hear a lot about him soon. Born in 1998, this talented artist—who is representing Denmark this year—has always had a passion for music. At just 17, he was admitted to Musicalakademiet, an affiliate of the Danish School of Performing Arts. He became the youngest student ever accepted into the program. Søren Torpegaard Lund's career in the arts officially took off in the world of musical theater.
In 2023, the young singer makes his first run at Eurovision by competing in the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, Denmark’s national selection for the iconic contest. His song "Lige her" doesn’t make the cut. But Søren doesn’t give up and eventually wins the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix in 2026 with his track "Før vi går hjem". Now, the question is whether this song will win over the Eurovision audience and viewers in May. As of March 23, bookmakers put his chances at 11%.
Currently occupying fourth place is Greece's representative, Akylas. The country has a 7% chance of clinching the top spot this year. So, Akylas: could he make it to the winner's podium? It’s still too early to tell, but his song "Ferto" might still be climbing the charts in the polls.
Did you know that Akylas first gained recognition in his homeland in 2021 through his cover videos posted on TikTok? Later, the young artist competed in the eighth season of The Voice of Greece. A self-taught musician from Serres, Akylas crafts a multicultural, contemporary sound infused with Greek identity. This spring, in his quest to stand out, the Greek singer will perform the track "Ferto."
This year, for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, Australia decided to put its faith in Delta Goodrem and her song "Eclipse."
Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress Delta Goodrem first came into the spotlight in 2002, when she appeared in the Australian soap Neighbours. It wasn't long before she released her debut album, Innocent Eyes, in 2003. Since then, Delta Goodrem has put out six more albums. Demonstrating her immense popularity in Australia, she has scored eight number-one singles in her home country, all from her three studio albums. This spring, Delta Goodrem was chosen to represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest.
At this stage of the competition, Delta Goodrem is ranked fifth in the bookmakers' odds, with a 6% chance of winning the contest.
So, can we trust the bookmakers? Will the Finnish contestant take home the victory at the 2026 Eurovision?
The answer will be revealed on May 16th!
As a reminder, in 2021, bookmakers had predicted Italy's Måneskin to win, with France's Barbara Pravi closely behind. Their predictions proved accurate, as Italy and France finished first and second respectively. In 2023, the Swedish contender Loreen also topped bookmakers' forecasts, while the flamboyant Käärijä came in second with his hit "Cha Cha Cha." Again, the outcome matched expectations. However, in 2024, the bookmakers were way off. They had favored Baby Lasagna to win, but it was ultimately the Swiss artist Nemo who took home the victory. A similar misjudgment occurred in 2023, when La Zarra, the French contestant predicted to finish third, ultimately landed in 16th place. Last year, bettors backed the Swedish band KAJ, but it was the Austrian artist JJ who swept the competition. So, anything can still happen and shake things up!
Eurovision 2026: Meet the 35 Songs Competing in This Year’s Contest
Following the grand final scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Vienna, Austria, we will find out who will take home the trophy at the 70th edition of Eurovision. In the meantime, take a moment to explore the 35 songs competing this year. [Read more]
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Eurovision 2026: Meet the 35 Songs Competing in This Year’s Contest
