With the national selection closing and all 35 Eurovision representatives determined it's time for the Pre-Party season with several Eurovision pre-party events taking place accross the continent. Among those the Nordic Eurovision Party in Norway is certainly a must-go event . 

About the Party

source: nordiceurovision.com

The Nordic Eurovision Party is a live Eurovision pre‑show event that brings together current and past Eurovision artists, fans, and press for an evening of music, celebration, and fun just before the official Eurovision season begins. It’s designed as a fan event and promotional showcase where acts performing at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest perform live and interact with fans.

It evolved from earlier Nordic Eurovision gatherings and festivals — including the Nordic Music Celebration — which have now been combined under one event name to better reflect its Eurovision focus.

The 2026 line-up

The Nordic Eurovision Party will feature live performances from Eurovision artists — including confirmed representatives for Eurovision 2026 and special guests from previous contests. 

Namely the fans will be able to see the following acts on stage: 

Eurovision 2026

Akylas – Greece

Antigoni – Cyprus

Cosmó – Austria 

AIDAN – Malta

Alis – Albania 

Atvara – Latvia

Eva Marija – Luxembourg

Satoshi – Moldova 

Tamara Živković – Montenegro

Delta Goodrem - Australia 

Jonas Lovv - Norway 

Lion Ceccah - Lithuania 

Sarah Engels  - Germany

In addition to 2026 entries, several past Eurovision stars and iconic performers will also be part of the show:

• Elisabeth Andreassen – Eurovision winner & multi‑year participant 

• Sunstroke Project – Moldova (known for Epic Sax Guy)

• Olsen Brothers (Jørgen Olsen) – Denmark (Eurovision winners)

• Poli Genova – Bulgaria (Eurovision participant)

• Ovi & Ilinca – Romania (Eurovision duo)

• Lindsay Dracass – United Kingdom (Eurovision 2001)

• Guri Schanke – Norway  (Eurovision 2007)

• Mathilde SPZ – MGP & Eurovision‑scene favorite

• Mileo – MGP participant (Norway)

• Silke – MGP & national‑final performer

• Leonardo Amor – MGP singer

• Piera Eira & MÁIJÁ – Sámi music winners

• Ilinca - (Romania 2017)

The event will unfold at Rockefeller Music Hall, Oslo, Norway with doors opening at 19:00 CET. Tickets are on sale and you can purchase them on the party's official website : Nordic Eurovision Party – Eurovision Concert in Oslo

News source/image: Nordic Eurovision Party

Bandidos do Cante won the Portuguese national final with the song 'Rosa' and will be representing the nation at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. 

The Portuguese national selection consisted of two semifinals and a grand final show that took place  at  Valentim de Carvalho Studios at Paço de Arcos in Lisbon . A total of 10 acts  competed on stage for the right to represent Portugal at the 70th Eurovision song contest. 

The outcome of the final was determined by a combination of jury and public voting. 

A few words for Bandidos do Cante

Bandidos do Cante are a Portuguese vocal group from the Alentejo region, mainly from Beja, in southern Portugal. The band consists of five members: Miguel Costa, Duarte Farias, Francisco Raposo, Luís Aleixo, and Francisco Pestana.

They first entered the music scene in 2022 under the name “Amigos do Alentejo”. Their first exposure came from providing vocals on the single “Casa” by Portuguese artists D.A.M.A and Buba Espinho, which became very popular. In June 2023, they adopted the name Bandidos do Cante — a name suggested by Kasha (from D.A.M.A.).

 Portugal in Eurovision

Portugal has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 56 times since its debut in 1964, missing five contests (1970, 2000, 2002, 2013, and 2016). Portugal won the contest for the first time in 2017 with Salvador Sobral‘s  Amor pelo dois and hosted the 2018 contest in Lisbon.

News Source: RTP

Image: eurovisioncentral.com

Alicja managed to captivated the audience with her powerful performance of her song 'Pray' and secure here spot in the Eurovision 2026 class. 

The Polish national final took place at the TVP Headquarters in Warsaw with a total of 8 acts taking the stage for the ticket to Vienna, while the outcome of the final was determined entired by the public voting. 

“Pray” is an emotional, contemporary pop track blending elements of R&B, gospel and rap, described by Alicja as a manifesto about fighting for your dreams, seeking freedom, and believing in yourself.

A few words for Alicja

Alicja Maria Szemplińska (known professionally simply as Alicja) is a Polish singer and songwriter born on 29 April 2002 in Ciechanów, Poland. She has been active in music since her teens and is one of the most recognizable contemporary voices on the Polish pop scene.

Alicja first became widely known after winning The Voice of Poland in 2019. She later won the Polish national selection Szansa na sukces to represent Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song Empires, but the contest was cancelled due to the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Poland in Eurovision 

Poland has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 27 times since its debut in 1994.

Poland's debut in the contest in 1994 remains its most successful entry, with "To nie ja!" by Edyta Górniak finishing second. This remains Poland's only top five result in the contest. The country reached the top ten for the second time with Ich Troje finishing seventh in 2003. Poland then failed to qualify from the semi-finals in six out of seven years between 2005 and 2011, before withdrawing from the contest in 2012.

Since returning in 2014, Poland had qualified for the final for four consecutive years (2014–2017), achieving a third top ten finish in 2016, with Michał Szpak finishing eighth. The country failed to qualify three contests in a row (2018, 2019, and 2021), a streak that ended with Ochman finishing 12th in 2022.

News Source: TVP

Cover Photo: National final performance video

Azerbaijan's national broadcaster, Ictimai, this year opted for an internal selection to choose their Eurovision 2026 entrant. JIVA was selected to defend the nation's colors in Vienna singing the song 'Just Go'. 

'Just Go' is an emotional ballad about love, heartbreak and inner strength, focusing on rediscovery after disappointment. The sond has been penned and composed by none  Fuad Javadov, an Azerbaijani -American. The official music video which was also published today has been directed by Farhad Ali.

A few words for JIVA

JIVA JIVA (real name Jamila Hashimova) is an Azerbaijani singer which was born in Moscow and later on she moved to Azerbaijan. 

She started her music career in 2003, finishing second in the Baku Autumn music competition. Later she performed with the RAST ensemble, appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and became the lead singer of Hazz Band, mixing jazz influences with modern pop music.

A big breakthrough came in 2025, when she won the TV show The Voice of Azerbaijan, which made her one of the country’s most talked-about singers.

Azerbaijan in Eurovision 

The Land of fire debuted in the contest in 2008 and since then they have been present in every single edition of it, counting a total of 17 participations.  In 2011 The duo Eldar & Nikki gave the country its one and only victory with their entry Running scared, leading the Eurovision event next year in the capital city of Baku. 

The country achieved five consecutive top-five results in the contest between 2009 and 2013, finishing third (2009) and fifth (2010) before its 2011 win and fourth (2012) and second (2013) following its win. Azerbaijan has failed to advance from the semi-finals on four occasions, in 2018 and since 2023.

Last year Mamagama represented the country with the song 'Run to you' which didn't make it to the finals. This year JIVA will be competing in the first half of the second semi-final

News Source: ICTIMAI

Cover Photo: Music Video of 'Just go'

In January 2026, the Georgian broadcaster GPB internally selected Bzikebi to represent Georgia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, Austria.

Their song titled 'Replay' has been penned by Giga Kukhianidze and Lizi Japaridze and was produced by Giga Kukhianidze, a famous Georgian composer who has written many successful Junior Eurovision songs for Georgia.

A few words for Bizkebi

Bizkebi is a Georgian pop group conc of Giorgi Shiolashvili, Mariam Kikuashvili, and Mariam Tatulashvili. The trio first became famous as children when they won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song “Bzz…”, giving Georgia its first victory in that competition.

They became known for their fun, energetic performances. In their 2008 winning performance they wore black-and-yellow bee costumes and sang partly in a made-up “buzzing” language, which made their act very memorable.

After their victory, the group performed in many Eurovision-related events and occasionally reunited for special performances. They appeared as guest performers at Junior Eurovision 2025 in Tbilisi and other anniversary shows before returning to the main Eurovision stage.

Georgia in Eurovision

Georgia has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 17 times since making its debut in 2007. The Georgian participating broadcaster in the contest is the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB). Georgia has reached the final on eight occasions, achieving two top ten placements, with "Shine" performed by Sofia Nizharadze (2010) and "One More Day" by Eldrine (2011) both finishing ninth.

Mariam Shengelia represented the country last year with 'Freedom' but despite here powerful performance didn't make it to th finals. 

Georgia is scheduled to perform in the first half of the first semi-final on 12 May 2026, competing for a place in the grand final.

News Source: GPB

Cover photo: Music Video of 'Replay'

Czechia this year opted for an internal selection to determime their Eurovision 2026 representative. The selection came after a national process that received around 260 submissions, and Daniel's performance impressed the selection committee with its strong vocal control and emotional delivery.

The Czech hopeful released his emotional song 'Crossroads' along with its official music video:

A few words for Daniel Zizka

Daniel Žižka is a Czech singer, songwriter, actor, and performer from Prague, Czech Republic. He began writing his own music at a young age and recorded his first professional song when he was about 15 years old. Early in his career he performed under the stage name “Daniell,” releasing singles such as Aim, Go On, and Wrong. Besides music, he has also worked as an actor and appeared in several Czech television projects and music videos.

Žižka is also trained in music professionally and studies pop singing and composition at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory in Prague. His work often blends indie pop, pop-soul, and atmospheric vocals, and he has performed with orchestral arrangements, including a performance at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague with the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Czech Republic in Eurovision

Czech Republic appeared for the first time in the Contest in 2007 with  Kabat. A a row of disappointing results the country withdrew in 2010 and didn’t return until 2016. In 2016 its return was followed by a grand final qualification for the first time . The best result came for the country in 2018 with  Mikolas Josef who achieved a top 10 placing by finishing  6th , in  Lisbon with his entry Lie to me.

Last year the country was represented by  was represented the song 'Kiss Kiss Goodbye' by ADONXS who came 12th in his semifinal and didn't make it to the finals. 

This year Daniel wil be competing in the first half of the 2nd semi final show on May 14, 2026. 

News Source: CZ Television

Cover photo: Music video 'Crossroads'

After weeks of speculations and rumors, the word is out and Armenia have confirmed SIMÓN as the nation's hopeful at the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. 

SIMÓN  was internally selected and will be singing Paloma rumba the officail video of which was also released today. The track is a high-energy pop anthem about breaking free from routine and following your dreams, symbolized by the idea of a “dove’s dance.” Simón has cited Michael Jackson as one of his biggest inspirations, influencing his love for performance, dancing, and bold stage visuals.

A few words for Simon

Simón, whose real name is Simon Hovhannisyan, is an Armenian singer and songwriter born on 30 August 1995 in Hrazdan, Armenia. He began gaining attention in the Armenian music scene in the mid-2020s and is known for his energetic stage presence, dance-influenced pop style, and dramatic performances.

In 2025 he competed in the Armenian national selection for Eurovision, Depi Evratesil 2025, with the song “Ay Paparey Bye,” where he won the jury vote but finished second overall after the televote. Following this success, Armenia’s broadcaster AMPTV internally selected him to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.

Armenia in Eurovision 

Armenia has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 17 times since making its debut in 2006, when André became the first participant representing Armenia and was the first singer from the Caucasus region to compete at Eurovision.

Armenia has reached the top 10 on eight occasions, with the country's best result in the contest being two fourth-place finishes; achieved by Sirusho with the song "Qélé, Qélé" (2008), and Aram Mp3 with "Not Alone" (2014). 2011 was the first year that Armenia failed to advance from the semi-final round.

This was followed by the country withdrawing from the 2012 contest due to security concerns in the host city, Baku. In 2018 and 2019, Armenia consecutively failed to qualify from the semi-finals for the second and third time respectively.

Last year Parg repesented the country singing 'Survivor' which came 20th in the final. This year SIMON wiil be competing in the first half of the 2nd semi-final on May 14, 2026. 

News Source: APMTV

Cover photo: Music Video of Paloma Rumba

Switzerland has internally selected Veronica Fusaro to represent the country this year at Eurovision in Vienna. The Swiss hopeful has released the song she will be delivering on stage in Vienna along with the official music video.

The song is titled 'Alice' and brings a another interesting music proposal by last year's hosting nation. Watch below the official video of the song: 

Switzerland in Eurovision 

Switzerland  has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 65 times since its debut at the first contest in 1956, missing only four contests because of being relegated due to poor results the previous year: 1995, 1999, 2001, and 2003. Switzerland hosted the inaugural contest in 1956 in Lugano, where it also won. The country claimed its second victory in 1988, 32 years after the first, and its third in 2024 with NEMO , 36 years after the second win.

Last year it was represented by Zoe and the song 'Voyage'. This year Veronica Fusaro will be competing in the first half of the 2nd semi-final show. 

The final list of nations that will be taking part in the forthcomng Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria has been released with the number 35 being the final amount of participating countries next year. 

With five countries withdrawing from next year's edition ( Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland) and with two comebacks (Bulgaria and Romania) the list was finalized with a total of 35 nations ready to compete for the next Eurovision trophy. 

Therefore the full list of participating countries for Eurovision 2026 looks like following:

1. Albania
2. Armenia
3. Australia
4. Austria
5. Azerbaijan
6. Belgium
7. Bulgaria
8. Croatia
9. Cyprus
10. Czech Republic
11. Denmark
12. Estonia
13. Finland
14. France
15. Germany
16. Georgia
17. Greece
18. Israel
19. Italy
20. Latvia
21. Lithuania
22. Luxembourg
23. Malta
24. Moldova
25. Montenegro
    
26. Norway
27. Poland
28. Portugal
29. Romania
30. San Marino
31. Serbia
32. Sweden
33. Switzerland
34. Ukraine
35. United Kingdom

15 countres will compete in each semi-final set to take place on May 12 and 14 May while the Big 4 countries (United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany) and the ESC 2025 winner and host country, Austria advancedireclty to the Grand final on 16 May 2026. 

Eurovision 2026 Director Martin Green CBE stated on the list of particiating countries: 

"As we prepare to celebrate 70 years of the Eurovision Song Contest it remains a place where voices, cultures, languages and music are woven together. Where people from many backgrounds can show that in a difficult world a better one is possible. We are thrilled to welcome back BNT (Bulgaria), TVR (Romania) and TRM (Moldova) who join 32 other public broadcasters for Vienna 2026. Their return is a vivid reminder of the enduring power of the Eurovision Song Contest, and of what it truly means to be United by Music."

News source/cover image: EBU/Eurovision.tv

Good morming Europe! This is Vienna calling and stage design habemus! The hosting broadcaster of the next Eurovision, ORF has revealed the stage design of Eurovision 2026 releasing images of how it will look like and unveiling the story behind the set up. 

The man behind the design

Vienna is playing safe on the stage design for Eurovision 2026 and assigned the work to experienced Florian Wieder.

The stage design for Eurovision 2026 is a work of Florian Wieder, taking care of this matter for a 10h time in the contest's history. Wieder is no stranger to the Eurovision family as he has been behind the ESC stage in 9 previous editions ( 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 (2021), 2024 and 2025. Also his experience on such constructions is wide as he has been repsonsible for several mega music events such as American Idol, The Emmys and the MTV Music Awards and recently at Adele's concerts in Munich. 

The stage designer stated on his new work: 

The Eurovision Song Contest offers a unique opportunity: not to repeat what already exists, but to transform it, reinterpret it, and develop it further.I see it as an invitation to break with established patterns, to be bold, to create unique visuals, and to lead the audience into an experience that both retains the DNA of the ESC and is radically new.

The story behind the stage set up

The Viennese Secession is the source of inspiration of the stage design for the next Eurovoision   featuring the leaf, the curved line and the construct.

photo credit: EBU/ORF

According to the official press released shared by EBU the story behind the stage set up has as following: 

The creative spirit of the Viennese Secession lies at the centre of the stage-design concept. And like that art movement once did, ORF’s production wants to deliberately break conventions and allow new forms. It’s about courage for renewal, openness to radical creativity and a new freedom of design.

Three design leitmotifs will convey this idea to viewers of Vienna 2026 in May:

The Leaf
A symbol of origin and potential, it stands for new beginnings and shared design. Diverse music from all over Europe is written on it.

The Curved Line
An expression of resonance, development and musical movement, it embodies connection, emotion and Viennese charm.

The Construct
A golden structure that connects art with functionality, it creates order, supports artistic vision and forms a deliberate contrast to the organic curved line.

In the connection of these elements, a stage design emerges that both preserves the DNA of the Eurovision Song Contest and breaks new creative ground.

The Green Room will be directly connected to the stage via a walkway – which, among other things, will enable a Winner’s Walk through the audience.

 photo credit: EBU/ORF

In addition ORF's Program Director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz (ORF Program Director) stated:

This stage perfectly embodies what the ORF stands for: creative innovation, cultural roots, and the highest technical quality. It combines the Austrian soul with international ambition and creates a space where grand visuals can be created without losing sight of the human moments. This design is bold, elegant, and embodies Austrian character – making it the perfect stage for a Eurovision Song Contest in the heart of Europe.

For more images in motion of the Eurovision 2026 stage take a look at the official video released: 

The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place  on 12, 14 and 16 May at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria.

News source: EBU/ORF/ ESCtoday

Photo cover: EBU/ORF