Europe’s largest and most beloved Eurovision national selection, Melodifestivalen 2026, kicked off tonight with its first heat! The event took place at the Saab Arena in Linköping, where six songs competed. The two songs receiving the most votes advanced directly to the grand final, scheduled for March 7 in Stockholm. The third-place song progressed to a “Second Chance” round at the end of the fifth heat on February 28, a week before the final, for another opportunity to reach the grand final.

The winner of the final will represent Sweden in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2026, in Vienna, Austria.

Results of the First Heat

The first act to qualify directly to the final is Greczula with his song “Half Of Me“. A-Teens joined him with the song “Iconic“. The act that will compete again in the “Second Chance” round for a spot in the final is Jacqline with her song “Woman“.

Full Results of the First Heat

1. 1. Greczula – “Half Of Me“
   2. A*Teens – “Iconic“ – 92 points
   3. Jacqline – “Woman“ – 67 points
   4. Indra – “Beautiful Lie“ – 52 points
   5. Noll2 – “Berusade Ord“ – 49 points
   6. Junior Lerin – “Copacabana Boy“ – 44 points

Click on the song’s title in order to listen!

Familiar Names From The First Heat:

Greczula, full name Kristofer Niklas Greczula, is a well-known and respected singer in Sweden who placed third in Melodifestivalen 2025 with the song “Believe Me”. In 2017, he began working as a soloist, and in 2022, he released his first album, “Live and Let Live.” That same year, he also participated in the popular Swedish summer show “Allsång på Skansen.”

Jacqline – Participated in Melodifestivalen 2024 and went straight to the final with the song “Effortless”, finishing ninth. The song later gained popularity among Eurovision fans across Europe. She took a break from her career to become a mother.

A-Teens – Composed of Sara Lumholdt, Amit Paul, Marie Serneholt, and Dhani Lennevald, all aged 41-42, this successful Swedish pop band broke through in 1999 as a young tribute act to ABBA and quickly became recognized worldwide after releasing their major hit album in 2004. After four albums, the group broke up, but last year they reunited to mark 25 years since their formation.

Melodifestivalen 2026 Schedule

• Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025 – Artist reveal.

• Saturday, January 31st, 2026 – Heat 1 in Saab Arena, Linköping

• Saturday, February 7th, 2026 – Heat 2 in Scandinavium, Göteborg

• Saturday, February 14th, 2026 – Heat 3 in Kristianstad Arena, Kristianstad

• Saturday, February 21st, 2026 – Heat 4 in Malmö Arena, Malmö

• Saturday, February 28th, 2026 – Heat 5 and Final qual in Gärdehov Arena, Sundsvall

• Saturday, March 7th, 2026 – Grand Final in Strawberry (Friends) Arena, Stockholm

Format and 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, as tradition dictates, will 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.