Results of the Third Heat

The first act to qualify directly to the final is Medina with their song “Viva L’Amor“. Saga Ludvigsson joined them with the song “Ain’t Today“. The act that will compete again in the “Second Chance” round for a spot in the final is Eva Jumatate with “Selfish“.

Full Results of the Third Heat

1. 1. Medina – “Viva L’Amor” – First Place
   2. Saga Ludvigsson – “Ain’t Today” – Second Place (90 points)
   3. Eva Jumatate – “Selfish” – Third Place (80 points)
   4. Korslagda – “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” – Fourth Place (67 points)
   5. Patrik Jean – “Dusk Till Dawn” – Fifth Place (43 points)
   6. Emilia Pantić – “Ingenting” – Sixth Place (24 points)

Click on the song title to listen!

Familiar Names From The Third Heat:

Saga Ludvigsson – 19 years old, competed in Melodifestivalen last year with the song “Hate You So Much,” which advanced surprisingly straight from her heat to the final, finishing 12th. Saga became known when she reached second place in Swedish Idol.

Patrik Jean – A familiar name in the competition. He was one of the songwriters for “Move” by The Mamas, which won Melodifestivalen 2020 but did not represent Sweden at Eurovision due to the contest’s cancellation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jean also competed in Melodifestivalen 2021 with the song “Tears Run Dry,” but did not reach the final.

Medina – A duo that started in 2003, a Swedish-Tunisian pair consisting of Sami Daniel Rekik, a former football player in Tunisia, and Ali “Alibi” Jammali. Their music is a unique blend of hip-hop with influences from the Arab world, which they call Hafla music. They have experienced notable success and much love from the audience, placing third in Melodifestivalen 2022 with the song “In i dimman” and second with “Que Sera” in 2024, which became a hit due to its touching lyrics and rhythm blending styles from pop to hip-hop.

Melodifestivalen 2026 Schedule:

• 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.