ORF hosts the third day of Eurovision 2026 rehearsals in Vienna, with each delegation receiving 40 minutes to polish their entries when technical rehearsals gets underway.
The third day of Eurovision 2026‘s rehearsals is set to take place today on the grand stage in Vienna, Austria. After all nations from the first semi-final completed their initial runs – including the Israeli entry – it is now time for the participants of the second semi-final to begin their journey. The Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, is managing the technical schedule where each delegation is allocated a 40-minute window on stage. During this time, the singers will perform multiple rehearsals to polish their performance, staging, lighting, and camera angles ahead of the semi-finals and the Grand Final. Among the nations appearing today is Romania with the song “Choke Me“, which is currently positioned 8th in the betting odds.
During these rehearsals, the artists are able to perform their entries multiple times, polishing their performances ahead of the Semi-Finals and the Grand Final. This stage time is crucial for the performers and their creative teams to familiarize themselves with the Austrian stage, examine the lighting and camera angles, and make critical adjustments. Each delegation submitted its detailed staging plans to the Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, back in March to ensure all technical requirements were met.
In the week leading up to today’s start, stand-in rehearsals featuring substitute performers were In the week leading up to the start of rehearsals, stand-in sessions featuring substitute performers were conducted. These sessions allowed the production team to facilitate final technical adjustments, ensuring that every cue is ready for the artists’ arrival. This preparatory phase ensures that the transition to the live performances remains seamless for all 2026 participants.
Which countries will be holding the first rehearsals?
Today, May 4th, rehearsals continue with the first seven countries from the second semi-final of Eurovision 2026:
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11:30 CEST – Bulgaria: DARA – “Bangaranga”
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12:10 CEST – Azerbaijan: JIVA – “Just Go”
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12:50 CEST – Romania: Alexandra Căpitănescu – “Choke Me”
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13:45 CEST – Luxembourg: Eva Marija – “Mother Nature”
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14:25 CEST – Czechia: Daniel Žižka – “Crossroads”
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16:00 CEST – Armenia: Simón – “Paloma Rumba”
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16:40 CEST – Switzerland: Veronica Fusaro – “Alice”
Eurovision 2026 – Dates and times
Eurovision 2026 will take place in May, continuing the long‑standing tradition.
Here are the exact dates:
- First semi‑final: Tuesday, May 12th, 2026
- Second semi‑final: Thursday, May 14th, 2026
- Grand final: Saturday, May 16th, 2026
For those asking “What time does Eurovision 2026 start?”, each live show is scheduled to begin at 21:00 CET, making it accessible to viewers right across the continent.
Eurovision 2026: the 70th edition of the contest will take place in Vienna, Austria, on May 12th, 14th, and 16th, 2026. The Wiener Stadthalle arena, which will host the event, is expected to accommodate around 16,000 spectators per show. The contest returns to Austria following the nation’s third historic win with the song “Wasted Love”, performed by JJ. It will be Austria’s third time hosting Eurovision, after previous editions held in the country in 1967 and 2015.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
