Eurovision 2026: What Do We Know Already?

With Eurovision 2025 just hours away, what do we know already about the 2026 edition of the competition?

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will be the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Already ahead of the 2025 contest a number of countries have already started to announce plans for the next edition of the competition. Check out everything we know so far.

 Andorra

In February, RAC 1 reported that entertainment department executives have traveled to Andorra to discuss the winner of Eufòria representing Andorra at Eurovision 2026. Eufòria is a Catalan music contest organised TV3 since 2022, in which 16 singers compete for a recording contract.

RTVA the Andorran public broadcaster, has not participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2009, having made its debut in 2004. During its debut year in 2004, the Catalan broadcaster TV3 and RTVA collaborated on its selection process.

🇦🇺 Australia

While not explicitly confirming that they will compete in the 2026 contest, SBS has invited interested artists to express their interest to the broadcaster. Artists are invited to email entertainment@sbs.com.au.

🇫🇮 Finland

Yle, the Finnish national broadcaster, has confirmed that Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2026 will take place on February 28. UMK 2026 will take place on February 28 in Nokia Arena in Tampere. Finland is the first country to announce the date of their selection for Eurovision 2026.

 Germany

Germany’s participation at Eurovision has been run by the Norddeutscher Rundfunk, or NDR, since 1996. However, from next year, Südwestrundfunk, or SWR, will be taking over the organisation of the German Eurovision entry.

For SWR, it will be their third time organising Germany’s Eurovision participation, and the first time they have done so since 1978.

The reason that Germany can switch their broadcaster is because both NDR and SWR are part of the ARD network of regional broadcasters in Germany. While ARD runs the overall network, programming is made by the regional broadcasters within it.

🇲🇩 Moldova

Teleradio-Moldova withdrew from Eurovision 2025, citing a poor quality of song in its selection. At the time, the Moldovan Head of Delegation commented:

“We will ensure that we return to Eurovision with strength. It is important to support people who want to reach the big stages and to offer them the opportunity to prepare better”

🇳🇱 Netherlands

Any artists wishing to represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 can submit their entries from May 19, just two days after the final of Eurovision 2025. The song submission window was initially supposed to open on August 1 but was brought forward. No closing date for submissions has been announced yet.

🇪🇸 Spain

Spain will select their participant for Eurovision 2026 using Benidorm Fest 2026. RTVE has stated it will make changes to the selection to broaden the festival’s appeal and attract new audiences. While he did not provide specific details, he announced two major structural changes; the appointment of an artistic director and changes in the selection committee.

🇸🇪 Sweden

As the favourites to win Eurovision, there have already been discussions at SVT and cities across the country about potentially hosting the 2026 competition. In an interview with Dagens Nyheter, programme commissioner for SVT, stated that a Swedish-hosted Eurovision in 2026 would be smaller and darker in order to save money.

So far, three cities in Sweden have made initial comments to suggest they would want to host Eurovision 2026. Gothenburg has stated to P3 News that they would want to stage the contest in their cities if KAJ win on Saturday, while Örnsköldsvik and Stockholm expressed its interest earlier this week.

Countries that are eligible but have not participated in recent years

Alongside Andorra and Bosnia & Herzegovina, the following countries have either previously participated or are eligible to compete but have not competed to date.

•  Algeria
•  Bulgaria – Last participated in 2022
•  Egypt
•  Hungary – Last participated in 2019
•  Jordan
•  Lebanon – Was due to participate in 2005
•  Libya
•  Morocco – Last participated in 1980
•  North Macedonia – Last participated in 2009
•  Romania – Last participated in 2023
•  Slovakia – Last participated in 201
•  Tunisia – Was due to compete in 1977
•  Turkey – Last participated in 2012
•  Vatican City

Ineligible to participate

The below list features a variety of nations, regions and territories from across the globe, who are currently ineligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest.

•  Belarus
•  Faroe Islands
•  Kazakhstan
•  Liechtenstein
•  Russia
• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Wales

Image source: SRG SSR & EBU