by Neta Geffen Comment Closed




Finland officially opened song submissions today for UMK 2026, following confirmation of its Eurovision participation. Who will follow in the footsteps of Erika Vikman or Käärijä?

Finland is preparing for Eurovision 2026: The process of selecting Finland’s entry officially began today (Monday), with the song submission window for UMK 2026 now open. Since 2012, UMK has been the platform used by the country to choose both its song and artist for Eurovision. The submission period will close on August 24th – exactly six days from now.




Who Can Compete in the UMK 2026?

The national broadcaster has published the full rules for song submissions to UMK. Here are some of the key regulations:

  • Songs must not have been previously released in any public format.

  • Solo artists must be Finnish citizens or hold permanent residency in Finland.

  • For bands, at least one member must be a Finnish citizen or permanent resident.

  • Soloists or lead singers may submit up to three songs, though only one can qualify for the final.

  • Other band members, as well as composers and lyricists, may submit and compete with as many songs as they wish.

  • If a song is selected for the final, its final version must be submitted to YLE by October 31st.

According to the broadcaster national, a professional committee will listen to all submissions, ensuring they meet the criteria before selecting the entries that will compete for the ticket to Austria. Unlike in previous years, songs not chosen for UMK will now be eligible for submission to other national selections across Europe. In the past, rejected entries could not compete elsewhere. This change grants artists and songwriters an additional opportunity to promote their music throughout the continent.

Sergio Jaén Brings International Expertise to UMK

Renowned Spanish director Sergio Jaén, who has staged numerous Eurovision entries – including the Eurovision 2025 winning song “Wasted Love” by JJ and Finland’s 2025 entry “Ich Komme” by Erika Vikman – has now taken on the role of artistic director and stage manager for UMK. His involvement reflects YLE’s ongoing strategy of enhancing the contest’s international competitiveness with bold, innovative stage performances, while preserving UMK’s reputation as one of the most visually ambitious and popular national selections in Europe. Jaén, a graduate of Film and Television studies, resides in the United Kingdom and has worked with major global artists such as Dua Lipa.

Looking Ahead: A New Season of Finnish Boldness

In recent years, UMK has gained significant popularity among Eurovision fans across the continent. Following a decade of mixed results, Finland’s current track record highlights a remarkable turnaround. This year, the country reached the Eurovision Grand Final for the fifth consecutive time – its longest streak since the late 2000s.

Two years ago, Käärijä achieved one of Finland’s best-ever results, finishing second in the Grand Final held in Liverpool. Additionally, in 2021, Finland secured an impressive sixth place. These achievements have solidified UMK’s credibility as one of Europe’s strongest platforms for launching competitive Eurovision acts.




Finland at Eurovision 2025

“Ich Komme” (in English: “I Am Coming”) is the song performed by Erika Vikman, who represented Finland in the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final. Finland qualified for the Grand Final after placing third in the second semi-final with 115 points. In the Grand Final, Finland finished 11th with a total of 196 points, placing ninth in the public vote with 108 points and tenth in the jury vote with 88 points.

Eurovision 2025: This was Finland’s 58th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Finland joined the competition in 1961 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2006, winning the contest with Lordi and their song “Hard Rock Hallelujah”.