According to Greek media reports, a major change in the audience voting format for the upcoming Greek national selection will allow global viewers to influence the results.
In the past hour, social media has been flooded with reports from Greece suggesting an upcoming change in the audience voting format for “Sing for Greece 2026”. The competition will feature two semi-finals on February 11th and 13th, leading to the grand final on February 15th, where Greece’s entry for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria will be chosen.
According to a report by the Greek Eurovision website EurovisionFun, starting this year, audience voting will be open to viewers worldwide, not just from Greece. International viewers will be able to cast their votes online for €0.68, while those with a Greek phone number can vote via SMS for the same price. In both cases, a maximum of ten votes per user will be allowed.
During both semi-finals – where qualifiers for the final will be determined exclusively by public voting – the voting window will open after the performance of the final competing artist, the 14th performer, and remain open for at least 15 minutes. In contrast, in the final, the results will be decided by a 50/50 combination of public voting and a professional jury. In the final show, voting will open at the start of the evening and close after the last performance.
Not Just Greece: Estonia Follows Suit
In addition to Greece, Estonia is also joining this emerging trend. The Estonian national broadcaster ERR announced earlier today that voting for “Eesti Laul 2026” will be open to international audiences as well. In this competition, viewers will be allowed up to twenty votes across two rounds of voting. The national final is scheduled for Saturday, February 14th, and will determine Estonia’s entry for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna. With both Greece and Estonia modifying their voting systems to resemble those used in the Eurovision Song Contest itself, a potential new trend might be emerging. These changes raise the question of whether other countries will adopt this format later this season or in the following year.
“Sing for Greece 2026”: Running Order
First Semi-Final – Wednesday, February 11th:
- Alexandra Sieti – The Other Side
- THE Astrolabe – Drop It
- Desi G – Aphrodite
- Akylas – Ferto
- Evangelia – Paréa
- Panagiotis Tsakalakos – 2nd Chance
- Niya – Slipping Away
- Marseaux – Khánomai
- Rosanna Mailan – Alma
- STEFI – Europa
- Revery – The Songwriter
- Dinamiss – Chaos
- STYLIANOS – You & I
- Spheyiaa – Khília kommátia (1000 pieces)
Click on the song title to listen!
Second Semi-Final, Friday, February 13th:
- Rikki – AGAPI
- Garvin – Back in the Game
- Mikay – Labyrinth
- Marika – Daughters of the Sun (A, E, I, O, U)
- D3lta – Mad About It
- ZAF – Asteio
- Kianna – No More Drama
- Stella Kay – You Are The Fire
- Tianora – Antello
- Victoria Anastasia – Whatcha Doin To Me
- Basilica – Set Everything on Fire
- Good Job Nicky – Dark Side of the Moon
- Koza Mostra – Bulletproof
- leroybroughtflowers – SABOTAGE!
Click on the song title to listen!
The grand final of “Sing For Greece 2026” is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 15th, 2026, when the entry representing Greece at the main contest on May 12th, 14th, and 16th will be selected. Greece will compete in the first half of the first semi-final.
Greece at Eurovision 2025
“Asteromáta” (in English: “Eyes of Stars”) is the song performed by Klavdia, who represented Greece in the grand final of Eurovision 2025. Greece qualified to the grand final after finishing fourth in the second semi-final, with 112 points. In the grand final, Greece finished sixth in the grand final with 231 points, finishing eighth in both jury’s & public’s votes.
The sixth place that Greece achieved is considered the country’s best result since 2013 — when it ranked sixth as well.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Greece’s 46th participation in Eurovision. Greece joined the competition in 1974 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2005 when singer Helena Paparizou won first place with the song “My Number One”.
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Ido Na’aman is a journalist, content creator, and commentator specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. His extensive knowledge and in-depth familiarity with the Eurovision world are reflected in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
