Swedish broadcaster SVT has confirmed its participation in the 2026 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, in Austria.
Sweden will compete in Eurovision 2026, the 70th edition of the contest, making the 65th appearance of the Scandinavian country in the competition.
SVT will use its traditional Melodifestivalen in order to determine the Swedish representative, with more details to be announced in due course. Created in 1959, Melodifestivalen has been used every year to choose the Swedish act for Eurovision, with the exceptions of 1964 due to a strike, 1970 due to the withdrawal of Sweden from Eurovision and 1976 for the same reason.
Organised by the radio broadcaster SR until 1979, since 1980 the television broadcaster SVT has been in charge of the selection, with the selection show going around the whole country since 2002.
KAJ represented Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with “Bara Bada Bastu”, ending up 4th.
Image source: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU | Source: ESC Today
Sweden debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 and has gone on to be one of the contest’s most successful countries. They share the record for the most victories with Ireland. The country has won the contest seven times, the most recent being in 2024. Sweden’s first victory came in 1974 when ABBA won the contest in Brighton with “Waterloo”. Since missing out on the final in 2010, Sweden has gone on to finish in the top ten 12 times, including three victories. Only in 2013 and 2021 did the country place outside of the top 10 in the final.
