Victory Sparked a Revolution: Austria’s National Broadcaster ORF Announces Open National Final for Eurovision 2026—First Time Since 2016!
Austria’s national broadcaster ORF has declared that, for Eurovision 2026, the country’s representative and song will be selected via an open national final for the first time in a decade, following JJ‘s 2025 win with “Wasted Love”!
Austria to Hold Open National Selection for Eurovision 2026 After Historic Win
For the first time in a decade, and as part of preparations to host the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2026, Austria’s national broadcaster has announced that both the country’s representative and song for Eurovision 2026 will be chosen through an open national final. This move marks the first time since 2016 that the Austrian public will directly participate in the selection process.
The decision comes on the heels of the nation’s third Eurovision victory in 2025, when opera singer JJ captured hearts across Europe, clinching first place with his hit song “Wasted Love”.
Could This Change in Austria’s Selection Process Lead to Continued Success?
According to the national broadcaster’s Head of Programming, Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz, in an interview with a local Austrian newspaper: “After a long hiatus, a national final will once again be held to select Austria’s representative and the song that will represent the country at Eurovision. It will be a major live television event attended by a large audience.”
The broadcaster clarified that specific dates and the format for the selection show have not yet been revealed. However, potential Eurovision entries began to be written as early as mid-June 2025 during songwriting camps organized in conjunction with the national broadcaster.
Contrasting Internal Selection with the Return to the National Final
This year’s choice to hold an open national selection has sparked questions, especially given that the country’s last two Eurovision wins were secured via internal selections conducted by the broadcaster’s appointed committee.
Eurovision 2026: The 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Austria, following the country’s third historic win with the song “Wasted Love” performed by JJ. This will be the third time the contest is hosted in Austria, after 1967 and 2015.
