Following tonight’s first semi-final, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom will draw their Grand Final positions, potentially utilizing the “Producer’s Choice” category to determine their placement for May 16th.
Photo: EBU
Tonight, immediately following the conclusion of the first semi-final, four of the nations with guaranteed spots in the Grand Final – France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom – will discover which half of the show they will perform in.
These nations, known as the “Big 4,” qualify automatically for the Grand Final due to their significant financial contributions to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). This evening, May 12th, they will draw their approximate positions for the Grand Final taking place this coming Saturday, May 16th. The host nation, Austria, already drew its specific slot as song number 25 during a heads-of-delegation meeting in March.
Each country will draw one of three options:
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First Half: Performing in slots 1-13.
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Second Half: Performing in slots 14-25.
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Producer’s Choice: Allowing the show producers to place the entry anywhere in the running order based on artistic and television production needs.
Running order placement is often viewed as a strategic factor; statistical data suggests that performing later in the evening tends to be more memorable for viewers, potentially providing a slight advantage in the voting tallies.
The full running order for the remaining finalists will be finalized only after the second semi-final is completed and the full list of qualifying nations is confirmed.
Eurovision 2026 Schedule
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First Semi-Final: Tuesday, May 12th, at 21:00 CET.
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Second Semi-Final: Thursday, May 14th, at 21:00 CET.
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Grand Final: Saturday, May 16th, at 21:00 CET.
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.
