The Eurovision Song Contest 2017 Semi-Final Allocation Draw takes place today in Kyiv, Ukraine as the contest is formally handed over to the Ukrainian Capital. Ahead of the draw the Host City Insignia will be transferred from last year’s host city Stockholm to this years, Kyiv. Representing Stockholm will be Eva-Louise Erlandsson Slorach, President of Stockholm City Council she will hand over the insignia to Vitalii Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv. The Ceremony will also see a short speech from Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Jon Ola Sand.
Once the handover of the insignia is complete the Semi-Final Allocation Draw can take place. The draw will determine in which semi-finals the Big Five plus host country Ukraine will be performing, as well as which semi-final and half of the semi-final each country will be performing in. The specific running order will be determined by the contests Producers.
The draw will see Eurovision 2004 winner Ruslana and Eurovision 2016 winner Jamala provide a welcoming address. Jon Ola Sand and Thomas Niedermeyer the Head of the EBU voting system will oversee the draw.
10:03 // Vitali Klitschko appears on stage to welcome the audience to Kyiv and thank Jamala for her winning performance in Stockholm last May.
10:08 // A montage clip of Jamala’s time in Ukraine was shown before Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, came on stage to welcome the audience and thank SVT and the city of Stockholm.
10:14 // Victoria Romanova came on stage to once again, thank Jamala, and discuss what a significant moment hosting the contest will be for Ukraine.
10:18 // Mayor Klitschko comments, “This marks the countdown to the Eurovision Song Contest which Kyiv will host this year. As the mayor of Kyiv I can say that this city is looking forward to welcoming the contest”. He continues, “We expect over 20,000 people to visit our beautiful, green, friendly city and the country of Ukraine, this May”.
“Kyiv is Ready to Pick Up This Torch”
As ever, the ‘Big Five’, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom will qualify to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 without the need to compete in either of the semi-finals – as will the host country, Ukraine. Despite this, each of the Big Five and Ukraine will have the chance to vote in one semi final each.
[tw-column width=”one-half”]Semi Final OneItaly
Spain
United Kingdom[/tw-column][tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]Semi Final Two
Germany*
France
Ukraine[/tw-column]
Germany, at the request of the national broadcasting company, NDR, will vote in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 11th. With this, Germany were not drawn at random.
The first semi-final will have eighteen competing countries, while the second semi-final will have ninteen. At the request of the Swiss national broadcasters, Switzerland will perform in the second half of Semi Final Two – approved by the reference group.
Semi Final One
[tw-column width=”one-half”]First HalfMontenegro
Finland
Georgia
Portugal
Belgium
Sweden
Albania
Azerbaijan
Australia[/tw-column][tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]Second Half
Cyprus
Slovenia
Armenia
Moldova
Czech Republic
Latvia
Iceland
Greece
Poland[/tw-column]
Semi Final Two
[tw-column width=”one-half”]First HalfFYR Macedonia
Malta
Netherlands
Serbia
Denmark
Russia
Romania
Hungary
Austria
Ireland[/tw-column][tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]Second Half
Switzerland
Estonia
Israel
Bulgaria
San Marino
Lithuania
Croatia
Norway
Belarus[/tw-column]
“Welcome Back to Kyiv, Ukraine!” – Ruslana
How Does The Draw Work?
The first draw will see the allocation of the Big Five and Ukraine to the semi-finals in which they will be voting. The second draw will then see the presenters work their way from pot 1 through to pot 6. They will draw a country at random from the first pot and then draw from which half they will perform in the first semi-final. They will continue to work their way along to pot 6 drawing countries for semi final 1. This process will then be repeated this time drawing countries for the second semi-final. This process will repeat a further four times until all of the countries have been allocated a semi-final.
How Have The Pots Been Worked Out?
The countries competing in the semi-finals have been drawn into pots based on televoting data from previous contests. This ensures that countries who have a past of voting for one another during the contest are spread among the semi finals.
Have Any Countries Already Been Allocated Their Semi Final?
Two countries have requested ahead of time that they will not either perform or vote in semi-final one. Germany will be voting in the second semi-final, while Switzerland will also be performing in the second semi-final. Semi-final one will have 18 participants, while semi-final two will have 19 participants.
The Pots are as follows:
Pot 1:
- Albania
- FYR Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Slovenia
- Croatia
- Serbia
- Switzerland (Pre-allocated to perform in Semi Final Two)
Pot 2:
- Denmark
- Finland
- Norway
- Iceland
- Estonia
- Sweden
Pot 3:
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Georgia
- Russia
- Israel
Pot 4:
- Hungary
- Cyprus
- Greece
- Romania
- Moldova
- Bulgaria
Pot 5:
- Portugal
- Australia
- Czech Republic
- Malta
- Austria
- San Marino
Pot 6:
- Belgium
- The Netherlands
- Ireland
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Poland
