San Marino Confirms Participation in Eurovision 2026!

San Marino Confirms Participation in Eurovision 2026!

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); After previously threatening to withdraw from Eurovision, the government of San Marino has now confirmed that the small state will take part in Eurovision 2026! San Marino will once again use the “San Marino Song Contest” as its national selection. The Sammarinese State Congress has officially announced that San Marino will participate in Eurovision 2026, which will be hosted in Austria. San Marino becomes the 23rd country to express interest in joining Eurovision 2026, following Albania, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the host country, Austria. At the previous Eurovision, San Marino finished last in the final with the song "Tutta L'italia" (“All Italy”), performed by Gabry Ponte. After the contest, the country voiced strong reservations about the current Eurovision voting system and, unlike other countries, also openly criticized the judges’ voting. Despite statements from the national broadcaster regarding uncertainty over participation, the government has now published...
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Switzerland: Song Submission Window Opens for Eurovision 2026

Switzerland: Song Submission Window Opens for Eurovision 2026

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Swiss national broadcaster SRG SSR has officially opened the window for song submissions for the Eurovision 2026 selection process. Switzerland will continue to select its entry through an internal selection. Switzerland has officially announced the start of its Eurovision 2026 selection, to be hosted in Austria, inviting artists, composers, and producers to submit their songs between August 4 and August 25, 2025. The national broadcaster opened the process today, accepting entries from 9:00 a.m. (Central European Time) until August 25 at 11:00 p.m. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Swiss representative for Eurovision 2026 will once again be chosen through a combined mechanism involving a Swiss audience, an international audience, and a panel of experts - a model that has proven effective in recent years. The decision will be made in stages, in collaboration with the country’s four main broadcasting organizations (SRF, RTS, RSI, RTR), and with the support of the research institute YouGov. This process is designed...
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Austria: Eurovision 2026 Representative To Be Selected at the End of February!

Austria: Eurovision 2026 Representative To Be Selected at the End of February!

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Austrian national broadcaster ORF has revealed that Austria’s representative for Eurovision 2026 will be selected at the end of February, unveiling new details about a national selection show to be held for the first time in a decade. The Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, announced this past Saturday that Austria’s act and song for Eurovision 2026 will be chosen for the first time in ten years through an open national selection, coinciding with preparations to host the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2026. Austria has now confirmed that its national final will take place at the end of February 2026 and will feature both a jury and public vote. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Format Details: Open Call and Combined Jury/Public Voting According to the Austrian national broadcaster, the selection will be held before a live audience at the end of February 2026 and will feature both jury voting and voting from viewers at home. The...
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Storm in Serbia: Olivera Kovačević, Producer of the Serbian Eurovision Selection, Dismissed!

Storm in Serbia: Olivera Kovačević, Producer of the Serbian Eurovision Selection, Dismissed!

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A storm is brewing in Serbia following the dismissal of national Eurovision selection producer Olivera Kovačević by the Serbian national broadcaster. Is the Serbian broadcaster acting under political influence? A wave of controversy has erupted in Serbia after the national broadcaster, RTS, dismissed Eurovision pre-selection producer Olivera Kovačević. According to Kovačević, her firing was the result of her public support for the student protests in Serbia against the government. Serbia has confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2026, set to be held in Austria, and is expected to continue selecting its representative for the contest through its national selection, “Pesma za Evroviziju,” the format in place since 2022. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Kovačević’s dismissal came after she stood firmly by her principle of allowing freedom of protest during live broadcasts. Serbia has seen massive student-led protests that have paralyzed the educational sector since last December, following a tragic incident in Novi Sad in which dozens of people...
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Ukraine at Eurovision 2026: Preparations Begin Amidst Buzz and Speculation!

Ukraine at Eurovision 2026: Preparations Begin Amidst Buzz and Speculation!

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Preparations for Eurovision 2026 are underway, and in Ukraine the excitement is palpable—numerous singers have expressed interest in representing the nation, while former stars are vocal about their own ambitions and opinions. Who will represent Ukraine at the next Eurovision? After the strong showing by Ziferblat at Eurovision 2025, Ukraine’s music scene is abuzz with speculation and excitement. Ukrainian performers are already busy preparing for the coming year, and the local press is actively covering the mounting drama. Several previous representatives have announced whether they intend to return—or not—and have not held back in sharing their thoughts about their fellow artists and who might be worthy of representing Ukraine on the Eurovision stage. Notably, Ukraine has yet to officially confirm its participation in Eurovision 2026. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Katerina Pavlenko, who represented Ukraine in 2021 alongside the band Go_A and recently began performing solo under the name Monokate, has not ruled out a possible Eurovision comeback. However, she notes...
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The Reference Group Expands: Who Are the New Members Steering Eurovision?

The Reference Group Expands: Who Are the New Members Steering Eurovision?

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Tomislav Štengl from Croatia and David Tserunyan from Armenia are joining the Eurovision Reference Group ahead of Eurovision 2026. Who are the new members? Two new members have joined the Eurovision Reference Group in advance of Eurovision 2026: Tomislav Štengl from Croatia and David Tserunyan from Armenia. Their appointment signals a strengthening of the body overseeing the world’s biggest song contest, with broader and more professional representation. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); What Is the Reference Group? The Reference Group is Eurovision’s engine room—a body that supervises, sets strategy, and makes high-level decisions regarding the contest. Its duties include supervising production, selecting and approving the host city, updating rules, managing crises, overseeing the budget, and ensuring cultural diversity, fairness, and transparency in voting. With no official policy change announced by the European Broadcasting Union, all eyes are on the actions of the Reference Group’s members—and how they may influence Israel’s position at Eurovision 2026. Tomislav Štengl: A Journey from Croatia to the Heart of...
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San Marino: Eurovision 2026 Participation Still Uncertain!

San Marino: Eurovision 2026 Participation Still Uncertain!

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); After criticizing the European Broadcasting Union and Eurovision's voting system, San Marino’s participation in Eurovision 2026 remains unconfirmed. Is another country about to withdraw from the contest? San Marino finished last in the grand final of the most recent Eurovision with the song "Tutta L'italia" ("All of Italy"), performed by Gabry Ponte. Following this result, the country expressed strong reservations about Eurovision’s current voting system, and—unlike some other countries—was also openly critical of the jury voting process. Now, Roberto Sergio, CEO of the national broadcaster of San Marino, has revealed new information regarding the microstate’s possible participation in Eurovision 2026. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); At a press conference held to mark the opening of a new studio for San Marino’s national broadcaster, Sergio stated that last year’s San Marino pre-selection show, the “San Marino Song Contest,” was a tremendous success and helped raise San Marino’s profile internationally. Nevertheless, the country, alongside several other smaller nations, has raised concerns about both the jury...
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Greece: Preparations for the Greek National Final Kick Off Next Week!

Greece: Preparations for the Greek National Final Kick Off Next Week!

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Greece officially launches its preparations for Eurovision 2026, with an announcement expected next week regarding its national selection show, as well as the opening of the application window! Greece has officially begun preparations for Eurovision Song Contest 2026, which will mark the 70th edition of the world’s most popular music event. The Greek national broadcaster, ERT, is expected to announce its national selection show next week and simultaneously open the submission period for entries. Along with the announcement, details regarding the rules and format of the selection process are anticipated—potentially including information on any planned expansions to the show. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); According to the Greek Eurovision site Eurovisionfun, Greece has invested significant effort in the selection process in recent weeks, particularly on the bureaucratic and organizational fronts. Now, the format is ready to be presented to the public. Sources at ERT emphasize that the primary goal is a reliable, high-quality and transparent...
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Not This Time Either: Slovakia Will Not Participate in Eurovision 2026!

Not This Time Either: Slovakia Will Not Participate in Eurovision 2026!

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Slovak national broadcaster STVR has confirmed that Slovakia will not participate in Eurovision 2026—however, it leaves the door open for a possible return in the future and expresses optimism. Following earlier reports that Slovakia was reconsidering the possibility of returning to Eurovision, the national broadcaster has now confirmed that this will not happen at Eurovision 2026; however, the door remains open for future participation, as previously reported. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Slovak national broadcaster has officially confirmed Slovakia’s absence from Eurovision 2026 in response to an inquiry by an Israeli Eurovision fan. According to the broadcaster: "Slovak participation in Eurovision is considered annually. However, due to the absence of a stable management at STVR and the current financial situation of the Slovak public national broadcaster, it was decided at a very early stage that participation is not feasible (under the present conditions)." The broadcaster, however, has not ruled out future participation entirely. As previously stated by Filip Púchovský, a...
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Ireland at Eurovision: “We Still Haven’t Received the Televote Results”

Ireland at Eurovision: “We Still Haven’t Received the Televote Results”

by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ireland, a well-known opponent of Israel in the competition, is once again raising its voice, stating that it has not yet received the full televote results from the contest. The Irish national broadcaster, RTE, has stated that it has not received the complete televote results from the European Broadcasting Union and has cast doubt on the conduct of the union. It should be noted that Ireland gave Israel 10 points in the televote and, unlike many other countries, also ranked Israel fourth in the jury vote—granting 7 points. This amounts to a total of 17 points, placing Ireland as one of Israel's main supporters in the contest, alongside Azerbaijan, France, and the Netherlands. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Analyzing Ireland’s Support for Israel in Eurovision Voting Over the years, I have observed the Eurovision Song Contest closely and noticed the influence of social and political trends on voting results. Most countries that awarded Israel 12 points have strong and influential...
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