Tomislav Štengl from Croatia and David Tserunyan from Armenia are joining the Eurovision Reference Group ahead of Eurovision 2026. Who are the new members?
Two new members have joined the Eurovision Reference Group in advance of Eurovision 2026: Tomislav Štengl from Croatia and David Tserunyan from Armenia. Their appointment signals a strengthening of the body overseeing the world’s biggest song contest, with broader and more professional representation.
What Is the Reference Group?
The Reference Group is Eurovision’s engine room—a body that supervises, sets strategy, and makes high-level decisions regarding the contest. Its duties include supervising production, selecting and approving the host city, updating rules, managing crises, overseeing the budget, and ensuring cultural diversity, fairness, and transparency in voting.
With no official policy change announced by the European Broadcasting Union, all eyes are on the actions of the Reference Group’s members—and how they may influence Israel’s position at Eurovision 2026.
Tomislav Štengl: A Journey from Croatia to the Heart of Eurovision Decision-Making
Tomislav Štengl has served as the head of Croatia’s Eurovision delegation for about a decade. With a background in production and public broadcasting at HRT, he’s known for managing Croatia’s successful national final, Dora. His presence promises a fresh perspective on the professional conduct of small and mid-sized broadcasters, and he brings an understanding of how to integrate smaller nations into Eurovision’s multinational landscape.
David Tserunyan: Armenia’s Influential Voice at the Table
David Tserunyan leads Armenia’s Eurovision delegation and has overseen its impressive successes on the European stage. Hailing from Eastern Europe’s periphery, he emphasizes the importance of including post-Soviet countries and contributes to broader cultural balance in a forum often centered in Western Europe. His experience spans television production, contest coordination, and partnerships across countries. Tserunyan is widely regarded as a level-headed professional whose close ties to both the Armenian and international Eurovision fan communities add a new dynamic to the leadership.
How Are Members Selected?
Members of the Reference Group are chosen according to “geographical and professional representation”—a process that brings together public broadcasters, leading producers, professional consultants, and key figures from Europe’s music industry.
The new appointments mark a new chapter in the Reference Group’s history and strive to maintain a balance between long-time and newer participant countries.
Eurovision 2025: This was Austria’s 57th participation in Eurovision. Austria joined the competition in 1957 and has won three times over the years. Austria’s previous victory was in Eurovision 2014 with the song “Rise Like a Pheonix” performed by singer Conchita Wurst.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +972-50-9441919
Ofek Jerassi is an Israeli reporter, editor, content creator, and commentator, specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He has developed his extensive expertise since childhood, becoming a close follower of the contest. For the past three years, he has served as a writer and editor for EuroMix—Israel’s largest Eurovision website and one of the world’s leading platforms in the field, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Ofek covered Eurovision 2025 on-site in Basel from the press center in the host city, providing EuroMix readers with firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and exclusive reactions from the audience, artists, and experts. His in-depth knowledge and broad familiarity with the Eurovision world are evident in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
In his personal life, Ofek is a medic and avid traveler. He writes out of a genuine love for Eurovision, placing strong emphasis on credibility, professional commentary, and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +972-50-9441919
Ofek Jerassi is an Israeli reporter, editor, content creator, and commentator, specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He has developed his extensive expertise since childhood, becoming a close follower of the contest. For the past three years, he has served as a writer and editor for EuroMix—Israel’s largest Eurovision website and one of the world’s leading platforms in the field, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Ofek covered Eurovision 2025 on-site in Basel from the press center in the host city, providing EuroMix readers with firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and exclusive reactions from the audience, artists, and experts. His in-depth knowledge and broad familiarity with the Eurovision world are evident in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
In his personal life, Ofek is a medic and avid traveler. He writes out of a genuine love for Eurovision, placing strong emphasis on credibility, professional commentary, and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
