The EBU sets minimum age to 18 for Eurovision. The rule impacts upcoming contestants and changes contest dynamics for the future
The EBU has decided to restrict the minimum age of participants in the Eurovision Song Contest to 18, as reported tonight (Sunday) by Assaf Golan on “Good Evening” with Guy Pines. According to the report, the union intended to implement this change for Eurovision 2026. However, when they approached the participating countries, the nations requested a one-year delay because their selection processes had already started.
Young Contestants: Triumphs and Controversies
The youngest-ever Eurovision winner was Sandra Kim, Belgium’s representative in 1986, who was just 13 when she won with “J’aime La Vie“, and told organizers she was 15.
However, she was not the youngest contestant in the competition’s history. That distinction goes to another Belgian singer, Nathalie Pâque, who represented France in Eurovision 1989 at only 11. She finished eighth with “J’ai volé la vie”.
Competing that same year was Israeli contestant Gili Natanel, performing as part of the duo Gili & Galit, who was 12. Symbolically, his song “Derech HaMelech” (“The King’s Road”) also finished in 12th place.
Following these entries, the competition set a minimum age of 16 for participants starting from Eurovision 1990. In 2003, the union launched Junior Eurovision, aimed at participants aged 9-14.
Impact of the New Regulation
Since the age limit was raised to 16, several notable Eurovision artists were under 18: Kristian Kostov represented Bulgaria in 2017 at age 17, placing second; Silia Kapsis performed for Cyprus in Eurovision 2024, also at 17; and Maarja Liis-Ilus represented Estonia twice, in Eurovision 1996 and 1997, only turning 16 before her second appearance. The youngest winner since Kim was Emmelie De Forest, who won for Denmark in 2013 at age 20.
In the current season of “HaKokhav HaBa” several contestants under 18 have already been revealed. Since the new regulation will only take effect from Eurovision 2027, these contestants will still be eligible to participate in Vienna, Austria.
Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place in Vienna, Austria, following the country’s victory at Eurovision 2025 with the song “Wasted Love” performed by JJ. The competition will be held at the Wiener Stadthalle, the largest indoor arena in Austria. The semifinals are scheduled for May 12th and 14th, and the grand final will take place on May 16th. This will be the third time Vienna hosts the Eurovision Song Contest, having previously hosted it in 1967 and 2015.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +972-50-9441919
Maor Heumann has been writing about the Eurovision Song Contest and following it for over three decades. He has attended five contests and has found something to appreciate in almost every possible musical genre — from the sugary pop entries that finish last in the semi-finals to the quirky avant-garde pieces that even the competition’s juries struggled to connect with. He usually prefers original languages and songs with depth over Swedish-produced English clones — though he doesn’t promise to stick to that rule.
He grew up on the kibbutz of Sara’le Sharon, who instilled in him a love for music and created his first connection to the contest back in 1993 — before most of the current editorial team was even born.
