The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest reaches its climax tonight as 25 countries compete in the Grand Final live from Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle. After months of national selections, semifinal shocks, and fan-favorite performances, Eurovision 2026 now heads into one of the most unpredictable finales in recent memory.
Austria earned hosting duties after JJ’s “Wasted Love” secured victory in 2025, bringing the contest back to Vienna for the first time since 2015. This year’s event also arrives with major format shifts, including the temporary transformation of the traditional “Big Five” into the “Big Four” after Spain withdrew from competition alongside Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia.
Eurovision 2026 Grand Final: Date, Time and Venue
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Grand Final takes place on Saturday, May 16, beginning at 21:00 CEST from the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria. Internationally, that translates to 3:00 PM ET in the United States.
Hosting duties are shared by Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski, while journalist Emily Busvine handles interviews and reactions inside the Green Room.
This year’s final includes 20 semifinal qualifiers, automatic finalists Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, plus host nation Austria.
Eurovision 2026 Grand Final Running Order
1. Moldova
Artist: Satoshi
Song: “Viva, Moldova!”
2. Sweden
Artist: Felicia
Song: “My System”
3. Croatia
Artist: Lelek
Song: “Andromeda”
4. Greece
Artist: Akylas
Song: “Ferto”
5. Denmark
Artist: Søren Torpegaard Lund
Song: “Før vi går hjem”
6. Germany
Artist: Sarah Engels
Song: “Fire”
7. Israel
Artist: Noam Bettan
Song: “Michelle”
8. Belgium
Artist: Essyla
Song: “Dancing On The Ice”
9. Albania
Artist: Alis
Song: “Nân”
10. Ukraine
Artist: Leléka
Song: “Ridnym”
11. Australia
Artist: Delta Goodrem
Song: “Eclipse”
12. Serbia
Artist: Lavina
Song: “Kraj mene”
13. Malta
Artist: Aidan
Song: “Bella”
14. Czechia
Artist: Daniel Zizka
Song: “Crossroads”
15. Bulgaria
Artist: Dara
Song: “Bangaranga”
16. United Kingdom
Artist: Look Mum No Computer
Song: “Eins, Zwei, Drei”
17. France
Artist: Monroe
Song: “Regarde!”
18. Finland
Artist: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen
Song: “Liekinheitin”
19. Poland
Artist: Alicja
Song: “Pray”
20. Lithuania
Artist: Lion Ceccah
Song: “Sólo quiero más”
21. Cyprus
Artist: Antigoni
Song: “Jalla”
22. Italy
Artist: Sal Da Vinci
Song: “Per sempre sì”
23. Norway
Artist: Jonas Lovv
Song: “Ya Ya Ya”
24. Romania
Artist: Alexandra Căpitănescu
Song: “Choke Me”
25. Austria
Artist: Cosmó
Song: “Tanzschein”
How Eurovision 2026 Voting Works
Eurovision continues using its split 50/50 voting structure between professional juries and public televotes.
Professional juries from all 35 participating nations already submitted their rankings during Friday’s Jury Final rehearsal. Those scores will be revealed live during the famous spokesperson segment later tonight.
Public voting opens before the first performance begins, allowing viewers to vote throughout the broadcast via the official Eurovision app, SMS, or telephone. International viewers outside participating nations can also cast ballots through the “Rest of the World” vote at esc.vote, which counts as one additional country’s points allocation.
How to Watch Eurovision 2026
Fans worldwide can stream the Grand Final live through the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel, although certain territories may face geo-blocking restrictions because of local broadcast rights.
National broadcasters across Europe, Australia, and additional participating territories are also airing the event live.
Photo:Corinne Cumming/EBU
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