Eurovision 2026, the final: lineup and mechanism

Last appointment with the Eurovision Song Contest 2026: the final of the continental event will be broadcast this evening live on Rai1 from 8.35pm from the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, with 25 countries competing and an evening that promises over four hours of entertainment between music, televoting and twists.

The 20 artists qualified from the two semi-finals will compete for the trophy, plus the “Big Four” – Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom – as well as host Austria, who qualified by right after last year’s victory. The “Big Four” would actually be the “Big Five”, i.e. the five biggest financial supporters of the EBU, the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the show. But this year, alongside Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, Spain is not present, having chosen to withdraw due to protests against Israel’s presence.

For Italy the spotlight is on Sal Da Vinci, competing with “Per semper Sì”, fresh from the success in Sanremo. According to bookmakers, however, the fight for victory would be wide open, with the Scandinavian countries once again among the favorites heading into the match. The Neapolitan singer-songwriter, fourteenth in the lineup, should take the stage approximately between 11.35pm and 11.50pm.

This is the lineup:

• Denmark – Søren Torpegaard Lund – “Før Vi Går Hjem”
• Germany – Sarah Engels – “Fire”
• Israel – Noam Bettan – “Michelle”
• Belgium – ESSYLA – “Dancing On The Ice”
• Albania – Alis – “Nân”
• Greece – AKYLAS – “Ferto”
• Ukraine – LELÉKA – “Ridnym”
• Australia – Delta Goodrem – “Eclipse”
• Serbia – LAVINA – “Kraj Mene”
• Malta – AIDAN – “Bella”
• Czech Republic – Daniel Zizka – “Crossroads”
• Bulgaria – DARA – “Bangaranga”
• Croatia – LELEK – “Andromeda”
• United Kingdom – LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER – “Eins, Zwei, Drei”
• France – Monroe – “Regarde!”
• Moldova – Satoshi – “Long live, Moldova!”
• Finland – Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – “Liekinheitin”
• Poland – ALICJA – “Pray”
• Lithuania – Lion Ceccah – “Sólo Quiero Más”
• Sweden – FELICIA – “My System”
• Cyprus – Antigoni – “Jalla”
• Italy – Sal Da Vinci – “Forever Yes”
• Norway – JONAS LOVV – “YA YA YA”
• Romania – Alexandra Căpitănescu – “Choke me”
• Austria – COSMÓ – “Tanzschein”

The voting mechanism remains the now consolidated one: half of the result comes from the national juries made up of music professionals (the Italian jury, whose members will be revealed at midnight, voted – like all the other juries – yesterday at the rehearsals), half from the public’s televoting. Each country assigns the classic points from 1 to 12, while the “Rest of the World”, the online vote of spectators from non-participating countries, introduced in the latest editions, also continues to weigh. The Italian “spokeperson”, i.e. the person who will announce the votes of the Italian national jury, is Mariasole Pollio, YouTuber and influencer.