Today: 🇲🇹 MESC 2026 Semi-Final, 🇺🇦 Vidbir Songs, 🇩🇪 German Selection Participants & More

Five countries are in action today with one selection taking place tonight, while news regarding the Croatia, Germany, Finnish and Ukrainian selections for Vienna will be released.

The key times for today are:

• 🇭🇷 Croatia: Dora 2026 Dates & Semi-Finals Running Order – 12:00 CET
• 🇺🇦 Ukraine: Vidbir 2026 – Finalists Songs Release & Running Order Draw- 15:00 CET
• 🇩🇪 Germany: Eurovision Song Contest – Das Deutsche Finale 2026 – Participants Reveal – 19:00 CET
• 🇲🇹 Malta: Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Semi-Final – 20:45 CET
• 🇫🇮 Finland: Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampenius – “Liekinheitin” (Flamethrower) – Release – 23:00 CET

🇭🇷 Croatia: Dora 2026 Dates & Semi-Finals Running Order – 12:00 CET

The Croatian broadcaster will reveal the dates for the three live shows for Dora 2026 at midday today. In addition, the running order for the two semi-finals will also be revealed. The reveal will take place on the HRT website and through its YouTube channel.

24 acts are competing to represent Croatia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The competing entries are:

• Alen Đuras – “From Ashes to Flame”
• Ananda – “Dora”
• Cold Snap – “Mucho Macho”
• Devin – “Over Me”
• Ema Bubić – “Vrijeme za nas” (Time for us)
• Fenksta – “Memento mori”
• Fran Uccellini – “Ako bolje bude sutra” (If it’s better tomorrow)
• Gabrijel Ivić – “Light up”
• Irma – “Ni traga” (No trace)
• Ivan Sever – “Crying Eyes”
• Jasmina Makota – “Higher”
• Kandžija – “3 ujutro” (3 a.m.)
• Lana Mandarić – “Tama” (Darkness)
• Lara Demarin – “Mantra”
• LELEK – “Andromeda”
• Lima Len – “Raketa” (Rocket)
• Marko Kutlić – “Neotuđivo” (Inalienable)
• Noelle – “Uninterrupted”
• Ritam Noir – “Profumi di mare” (Scents of the sea)
• Sergej – “Scream”
• Stela Rade – “Nema te” (You’re gone)
• ToMa – “Ledina” (Meadow)
• Tony Sky – “O ne!” (Oh no!)
• Zevin – “My Mind”

Dora 2026 will take place in February in HRT Studios in Zagreb and will consist of two semi-finals and a final. The winner will represent Croatia in Vienna at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest.

🇺🇦 Ukraine: Vidbir 2026 Finalists Songs Release & Running Order Draw- 15:00 CET

Today, the songs that the finalists will perform at Vidbir 2026 will be officially presented. Nine of the ten finalists’ songs have only been released in snippet form to date, with the full release coming just before the running order draw for the final takes place.

The ten finalists are:

• Jerry Heil – “CATHARTICUS (prayer)”
• LAUD – “Lightkeeper”
• LELÉKA – “Ridnym” (To relatives)
• MOLODI – “THE LEGENDS”
• Monokate – “TUT” (Here)
• Mr. Vel – “Do or Done”
• The Elliens – “Crawling whispers”
• Valeriya Force – “Open Our Hearts”
• ShchukaRyba – “Moia zemlia” (My land)
• KHAYAT – “Hertsi” (Hertz)

KHAYAT secured his place in the final through the Wildcard round, and his song is already available to listen to.

You can watch the running order draw and reveal of the songs live on YouTube from 15:00 CET. The draw will be hosted by Eurovision commentator Timur Miroshnychenko and the host of the Eurovision Ukraine vlogs Anna Tuleva.

🇩🇪 Germany: Eurovision Song Contest – Das Deutsche Finale 2026 – Participants Reveal – 19:00 CET

The artists who will compete to represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will be revealed this evening.

The artists who will compete in Eurovision Song Contest –  Das Deutsche Finale 2026 will be revealed on ARD this evening at 19:00 CET. According to German media reports, nine acts will compete to represent Germany in Vienna.

The exact format of the selection has not yet been revealed by SWR. However, it was previously confirmed that the search began with songwriting camps, shortlisting of potential songs and artists. This was followed by an evaluation by music industry experts, an international jury, and audience jurors to select the finalists.

🇲🇹 Malta: Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Semi-Final – 21:00 CET

18 acts will be competing this evening for 12 places in the final of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2026.

The semi-final of the Maltese selection for Eurovision 2026 takes place this evening, live from the MFCC in Ta’ Qali. Hosting tonight’s show are Keane Cutajar, Destiny Chunkyere and Gaia Cauchi. Keane is a television presenter, Destiny Chukunyere won Junior Eurovision 2015 and represented Malta at Eurovision 2020 and 2021, while Gaia Cauchi won Junior Eurovision 2013.

The running order is as follows:

1. Aidan – “Bella” (Beautiful)
2. Ema – “Achikuku (Don’t Think About It)”
3. Chess Galea – “Shout It Out”
4. Liston Bongailas – “Mela”
5. Franklin Calleja – “Guide You Home”
6. Kelsey Attard – “Perfectly Broken”
7. Matthew Cilia – “Brutality Mentality”
8. Mark Anthony Bartolo – “Mumenti sbieħ” (Beautiful moments)
9. Denise – “Trophy”
10. Kurt Anthony – “On the Borderline”
11. Rhiannon Micallef – “Hold Myself Up”
12. Stefan Galea – “Pose”
13. Matt Blxck – “Ejja lejja ħdejja ‘l hawn (The flute)” (Come to me, come here)
14. Adria Twins – “Nerġà nqum” (I will rise again)
15. Kelsie Borg – “Let a Girl Breathe”
16. Mychael Bartolo Chircop – “My Sweet Angel”
17. Janice Mangion – “Univers” (Universe)
18. Nathan Psaila – “Ganador” (Winner)

The 12 qualifiers will be determined through a combination of jury and televoting. They will progress through to the final on Saturday evening, where the winner will represent Malta at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest.

A number of guest acts are due to perform during the show. They are Gaia Cauchi, Ivan Grech & Band, Jamie Cardona and Estonia’s Eurovision 2025 representative Tommy Cash.

Watch the show live here.

🇫🇮 Finland: Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampenius – “Liekinheitin” (Flamethrower) – Release – 23:00 CET

The second of the seven songs competing to represent Finland at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be released tonight. Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampenius will release their song “Liekinheitin” (Flamethrower) at midnight local time. Linda is a classical concert violinist, who fans may remember from performing during the interval at UMK 2025, while Pete Parkkonen came third in the fourth series of Idol in Finland.