Switzerland in Eurovision: Switzerland confirms participation in Eurovision 2026 in Austria, continuing to lead with a successful selection model, rich musical tradition, and broad cultural influence on Europe’s major song contest.
Switzerland has officially confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2026, which will be held in Austria, joining a series of countries that have already secured their place in Europe’s biggest song contest. The announcement came just days after the conclusion of Eurovision 2025, which took place in Basel and left a strong impression on the international fan community and media. For Switzerland, this is a continuation of its long-standing musical tradition on the European stage and a reinforcement of its status as a significant force in the competition.
Switzerland is the thirteenth country to express interest in participating in Eurovision 2026, following Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the host country, Austria.
The Broader Significance: Switzerland’s Continued Influence on Eurovision
Switzerland’s announcement of its participation in Eurovision 2026 is not merely a technical step, but also symbolizes the ongoing strengthening of the country’s position in the contest. In recent years, Switzerland has stood out thanks to innovative musical choices and impressive achievements, including a historic victory in 2024 with Nemo Mettler, as well as a meticulous internal selection process. The Swiss presence has become a focal point for Eurovision fans, especially given the country’s ability to surprise, move, and bring new voices to the European stage.
Moreover, Switzerland serves as an example of a relatively small country that manages to leverage Eurovision as a diplomatic, cultural, and economic tool. Its investment in productions, international collaborations, and the promotion of young artists inspires other countries. On several occasions, assessments have surfaced that Switzerland may become one of the most influential countries in the contest in the coming years – a trend that began in 2019 and is gaining momentum with each successful performance.
Switzerland confirmed its participation to the Eurovision website Esctoday.com.
Behind the Scenes: Switzerland’s Unique Internal Selection Process
Switzerland adopted a unique internal selection method in 2019 and has since enjoyed greater success compared to previous years in the competition. Switzerland’s internal selection, which is carried out in collaboration with professional panels and an international audience, is considered one of the most effective and innovative methods in the contest. The process includes several stages of filtering – ensuring a high level of performances. Switzerland’s success also serves as an example for other countries seeking to improve their standing in the competition.
It is likely that the Swiss national broadcaster will continue with this selection method, although there has been no official statement regarding the procedure for selecting Switzerland’s representative and song for Eurovision 2026.
Switzerland at Eurovision 2025
“Voyage” (in English: “Journey”) is the title of the song performed by Zoë Më, who represented Switzerland in the grand final of Eurovision 2025, held in Basel, Switzerland. Switzerland finished the grand final in 10th place with 214 points – all awarded by the jury. Switzerland ranked second among the juries, but received the lowest score from the public, which awarded it 0 points.
Since changing its selection method in 2019, Switzerland has consistently achieved relative success and regularly advances to the grand final of the competition.
Eurovision 2025: This was Switzerland’s 65th participation in the contest. Switzerland joined the competition in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won three times over the years. Switzerland’s most recent victory was at Eurovision 2024, with the win of Nemo Mettler and the song “The Code”. This win came after Switzerland’s previous victory in 1988 with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi” performed by the international singer Céline Dion.
