by Tal Dahan Comment Closed




Swedish media reports reveal two additional artists likely to join Melodifestivalen 2026, including a former Eurovision representative. Which artists are expected this year?

Melodifestivalen 2026, Sweden’s national Eurovision selection, has already sparked European media attention as Swedish outlets report on likely performers. Who will take the Melodifestivalen stage and deliver this year’s hits? After previous years’ big names like the duo Medina, Fröken Snusk, and Smash Into Pieces – who are set to return – the media is now naming two more possible participants.




Eurovision Veteran Set for Melodifestivalen Return

Robin Bengtsson, 35, has previously competed in Melodifestivalen four times and even won the contest in 2017 with “I Can’t Go On,” taking fifth place for Sweden at Eurovision. He also entered the competition in 2016, 2020, and 2022. According to Expressen, Bengtsson is aiming for a fifth appearance – this time with a country song!

Rising Star from Melodifestivalen 2025

Arwin Ismail, 17, a young and rising Swedish star known simply as Arwin, competed at Melodifestivalen 2025 with “This Dream of Mine,” advancing to the “second chance” round but missing the final. Arwin had progressed from the fifth round (which last year fed into the second chance stage), but news of his final elimination broke less than an hour after his initial advance. As Aftonbladet reported, “It’s almost obvious SVT will offer Arwin another chance, given his strong showing last year, even with a tough ending,” says one of its sources.




Additional Contestants Revealed

These names join other rumored contestants recently mentioned by the Swedish newspapers Expressen and Aftonbladet. These artists have not been officially confirmed or announced, and the official contestant list is expected at the end of November.

1. Fröken Snusk rose to fame for her secret identity, always appearing behind a pink mask. She broke out in September 2022 with the track “Ride mig som en dalahäst,” which garnered over 20 million Spotify streams, and later competed in Melodifestivalen 2024 with “Unga & Fria,” though she did not reach the final. Despite this, her character and the song became nationwide hits. This time, she is expected to compete under her real name, Felicia.

2. Greczula, whose full name is Kristofer Niklas Greczula, is a well-known and respected Swedish singer who placed third in Melodifestivalen 2025 with the song “Believe Me.” He began performing as a solo artist in 2017, and released his debut album “Live and Let Live” in 2022. That same year, he was featured on Sweden’s popular summer TV show, “Allsång på Skansen.”

3. Manoel “Junior” Marques Lerin, born in Brazil, is set to make his Melodifestivalen debut in 2026. Known in Sweden as a photographer and television figure, he recently appeared on the Swedish version of “Dancing with the Stars” on TV4. Manoel is married to painter and author Lars Lerin, and has participated in numerous of his husband’s projects — both in his books and television shows.

4. Medina, the duo that began their career in 2003, is a Swedish–Tunisian partnership featuring Sami Daniel Rekik, a former professional footballer in Tunisia, and Ali “Alibi” Jammali. Their music fuses hip-hop with Arab influences, a style they describe as “Hafla music.” The pair has achieved significant success and widespread love from audiences, placing third in Melodifestivalen 2022 with “In i dimman” and second in 2024 with “Que Sera,” a song that became a hit thanks to its heartfelt lyrics and genre-blending sound.

5. Meira Omar – competed last year with “Hush Hush,” reaching the final via the second chance round and finishing tenth.

6. Saga Ludvigsson – 19, placed twelfth at Melodifestivalen last year with “Hate You So Much” after a surprise direct qualification from her round, also known for second place in Swedish Idol.

7. Smash Into Pieces – rock band with two recent Melodifestivalen runs: third place in both 2023 (“Six Feet Under”) and 2024 (“Heroes Are Calling”).

8. Eva Jumatate – 17, rumored for her Melodifestivalen debut. Known as a prodigy in Sweden, she finished second on Swedish Got Talent at age 11 and has since appeared in musicals and TV series.




Dates and Locations For Melodifestivalen 2026

The first heat will be staged in Linköping, in southern Sweden, the capital of the Östergötland County. The second heat will be held in Göteborg, Sweden’s second-largest city, which also hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1985. Göteborg is the largest city in western Sweden and the fifth-largest in Scandinavia.

The third heat will be held in Kristianstad, located on the opposite side of the Skåne region, which will be hosting three consecutive shows. The fourth heat will take place in Malmö, Sweden’s third-largest city, well remembered for hosting the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Previously, Malmö also hosted Eurovision in 1992 and 2013.

The fifth heat is set for Sundsvall, a coastal city in central Sweden. As tradition dictates, the grand final will once again take place at Friends Arena in Stockholm. The Swedish capital has previously hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1975, 2000, and 2016.

The heats will be held across Sweden over six weeks:

  • First heat: Saturday, January 31st, in Linköping.

  • Second heat: Saturday, February 7th, in Göteborg.

  • Third heat: Saturday, February 14th, in Kristianstad.

  • Fourth heat: Saturday, February 21st, in Malmö.

  • Fifth heat and “Second Chance Round”: Saturday, February 28th, in Sundsvall.

  • Grand Final: Saturday, March 7th, at Friends Arena, Stockholm.




Format and Expected Changes for Melodifestivalen 2026

Melodifestivalen 2026 will once again run for six weeks, featuring five heats and one big final. Each heat will be hosted in a different city across the country, while the grand final will, as tradition dictates, take place at Friends Arena in Stockholm. From each heat, the two top-ranked songs will advance to the final, which will feature 12 songs. The winner will be determined by a 50/50 combination of jury votes and public televoting. The Melodifestivalen winner will then represent Sweden at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria.

SVT confirmed that the format changes introduced two years ago will remain in 2026, following overwhelmingly positive feedback from viewers. These include:

  • A “Second Chance” round: This gives participants who placed third or fourth in the semi-finals another opportunity to reach the final. Introduced in 2024, the system was praised as fair and exciting, giving popular songs another shot at the big stage.

  • Early song releases: Instead of waiting until the end of the semi-finals, all songs in each semi-final will be released on streaming platforms one day in advance. This allows fans to enjoy the music early, form opinions, and engage with the entries ahead of the live shows.




Sweden at Eurovision 2025:

“Bara bada bastu” (in English: “Just take a sauna”) is the title of the song which was performed by band KAJ, who represented Sweden in Eurovision 2025, in Basel, Switzerland – Placing 4th with 321 points. The song was written by the band members – Kevin Holmström, Axel Åhman, and Jakob Norrgård – along with Anderz Wrethov, Kristoffer Strandberg, and Robert Skowronski.

The song led the betting predictions throughout the competition, reaching a peak of 49% winning probability, but ultimately finished in fourth place with 321 points – 126 points from the juries, ranked sixth, and 195 more points from the public, ranked third.

Eurovision 2026: This will be Sweden’s 65th appearance in the competition. Sweden joined Eurovision in 1958 and has won the contest seven times over the years. The country’s most recent victory came in 2023, when Loreen won with the song “Tattoo”.