Europe’s largest and most beloved Eurovision national selection, Melodifestivalen 2026, continues with its third heat! This round will take place at Kristianstad Arena, Kristianstad.

Six songs will compete on the Melodifestivalen stage tonight. The two songs receiving the most votes will advance directly to the grand final, scheduled for March 7th in Stockholm. Another song from each heat will qualify to a “Second Chance” round at the end of the fifth heat on February 28th, a week before the final, for another opportunity to reach the grand final.

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

The heat will begin at 20:00 CET.
To watch the third heat of Melodifestivalen 2026, click here!

Third Heat Contestants and Songs:

1. 1. Patrik Jean – “Dusk Till Dawn“
   2. Korslagda – “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll“
   3. Emilia Pantić – “Ingenting“
   4. Medina – “Viva L’Amor“
   5. Eva Jumatate – “Selfish“
   6. Saga Ludvigsson – “Ain’t Today“

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.

The Results So Far:

In the first heat, held in January 31st, the two artists who topped the votes and advanced directly to the final were Greczula with the song “Half Of Me,” and the band A-Teens performing “Iconic.” The artist who came third was Jacqline with her song “Woman,” who qualified for the “Second Chance” round that will take place on February 28th, where she will compete again for a spot in the grand final.

Last week, February 7th, Felicia qualified with her song “My System,” and Brandsta City Släckers joined her with the song “Rakt in i elden.” The act that will compete again in the “Second Chance” round for a spot in the final from the second heat is Robin Bengtsson with “Honey Honey.”

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.