Spring's flagship music show, now a staple for countless viewers, Eurovision will reveal the name of its grand winner for the 2026 edition on Saturday, May 16.
But before this final step, two semifinals will name the lucky finalists. The first is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2026 and will pit 15 countries against one another: Moldova, Sweden, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Georgia, Finland, Montenegro, Estonia, Israel, Belgium, Lithuania, San Marino, Poland, and Serbia. Following the performances, ten countries will advance to the final. Note that the Italy and Germany entrants, already qualified, will also perform their songs in full that Tuesday evening.
The second semi-final, slated for Thursday, May 14, will pit the last 15 nations against each other: Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Romania, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Armenia, Switzerland, Cyprus, Latvia, Denmark, Australia, Ukraine, Albania, Malta, and Norway. Once again, 10 of them will earn a spot in the grand final. In this second semi-final, France, the United Kingdom, and Austria—last year’s Basel winner—will also take the stage with their entries. To meet the French contestant, Monroe, and her song "Regarde !", tune in on the evening of May 14.
Eurovision 2026: here's the running order for the semi-finals
Ahead of Eurovision’s grand final scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026, contestants will have to pull out all the stops in the dreaded semi-finals, set for Tuesday, May 12 and Thursday, May 14. So, which country will open the festivities? When will the Finnish duo, this year’s big favorite, perform their song? Answer with the semi-final running order! [Read more]
So then, what time and on which channel can you watch these two semifinals live? The first semifinal is slated for Tuesday, May 12 at 9 p.m. (CEST), i.e., 9 p.m. French time. The second semifinal is set for Thursday, May 14, 2026 at the same hour. On the channel side, France Télévisions has announced that both semifinals will be broadcast live from Vienna on France 4 and on france.tv. Stéphane Bern will be in the commentator’s seat for the occasion.
For other countries, check out the participating broadcasters:
And if your country isn’t taking part, know that the Eurovision Song Contest is also streamed for free on YouTube (if this service is available in your region).
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]
Dates and Opening Time
From May 12, 2026 to May 14, 2026
More information
Live on France 4
Eurovision 2026: here's the running order for the semi-finals
Eurovision 2026: Meet the 35 Songs Competing in This Year’s Contest
