New details about “Melodi Grand Prix 2026” have been revealed – including the number of submissions, the format of the national final, and when they’ll reveal the entries that will compete to represent Norway at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria.
On June 19th, Norway confirmed it’s participation in Eurovision 2026, which will be held in Vienna, Austria. The day after confirming participation in Eurovision 2026, NRK declared the opening of the song submission window for “Melodi Grand Prix 2026”, through which they will choose Norway’s entry for Eurovision 2026. Today (Thursday), NRK revealed new exciting details about the “Melodi Grand Prix 2026”.
NRK has officially announced that the grand final of Melodi Grand Prix 2026, also known as “MGP 2026”, will take place on February 28th at Håkons Hall in Lillehammer. This venue is the large arena that hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics. The move from Oslo to Lillehammer is intended to bring fresh energy to the competition, create a more enjoyable and impressive experience, and offer the artists and the audience a special, large, and welcoming event. According to NRK, Håkons Hall provides ambitious technical infrastructure and the capacity to accommodate thousands of spectators, presenting an opportunity to innovate and enhance the production of the contest. By the end of February, Lillehammer is expected to become a vibrant center of events around MGP 2026 and a focal point of the Norwegian music scene
Mads Tørklep, the director of MGP 2026, expressed his excitement and great anticipation for MGP 2026:
“I think this might be the best MGP in history. I am convinced that we really can win Eurovision with the songs submitted during the submission window”.
Additionally, Tørklep revealed that no less than 1500 songs were submitted for MGP 2026, marking a significant increase compared to last year. 1193 songs were submitted in the previous year for MGP, so this year’s submissions increased by 307 songs.
On January 10th, NRK will reveal the first nine artists who will participate in MGP 2026. On January 26th, a special television program will feature eight contestants competing for one additional spot in the final, determining the tenth and last participant who will fight to represent Norway at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Moreover, on the same day, all songs competing in MGP 2026 will be published.
The winner of MGP 2026 will represent Norway on the big stage in Vienna. Fans have high expectations for the Norwegian selection, and it now seems that they are preparing one of the most ambitious and high-quality national finals we’ve seen yet.
What should you know about “Melodi Grand Prix”?
“Melodi Grand Prix” is Norway’s long-running national selection for Eurovision, which has taken place every year since 1960. Since the early 2000s, the format has undergone significant changes – with preliminary rounds, semi-finals, public voting, and live broadcasts from advanced studios.
In recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on stylistic diversity and representing various regions of Norway, while NRK has still maintained a high level of control over the choice of participants. Although the public has a significant influence on the outcome, there are ongoing discussions about how much the voting reflects the taste of Europe, or just local Norwegian preferences.
Norway at Eurovision 2025
“Lighter” was the song performed by Kyle Alessandro, who represented Norway in the Eurovision 2025 grand final. Norway finished in 18th place overall with 89 points – 67 points from the audience and 22 points from the juries. In the televote, Norway ranked 12th, while in the jury vote, it reached 23rd place.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Norway’s 64th participation in Eurovision. Norway joined the competition in 1960 and has won three times over the years. Their last win was in Eurovision 2009 with the song “Fairytale” performed by Alexander Rybak.
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A writer and content creator in the field of Eurovision, a commentator with extensive expertise in the modern era of the contest. Adiel’s vast knowledge and familiarity with Eurovision are reflected in every article, ensuring professional and up-to-date content. He closely follows song releases and various Eurovision pre-events. Adiel has a fondness for cultures and new languages, which he discovered through his love of Eurovision. In his writing, he places great emphasis on professional commentary and a diversity of opinions.
