Eurovision Song Contest 2026 finalists were set on Saturday after the second semi-final in Vienna, Austria, with 10 more countries joining the line-up for the grand final. The result means 25 countries will perform on Saturday night, closing out the live page after the qualifiers were announced.
Mark Savage reported from the semi-final in Vienna and said the contest now has its full field. “We now know the 25 contestants who'll perform here in Vienna on Saturday night,” he said. He also pointed to Delta as the act to watch, while noting that Israel could again do strongly in the public vote, a pattern that has stirred debate in recent years over alleged efforts to sway the result through costly advertising campaigns, something the organiser rejects.
The second semi-final sent 10 countries through after 18 acts took the stage. They joined Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Serbia and Sweden, which had already qualified in Tuesday’s first semi-final. The UK, Italy, Germany and France were automatic finalists as the contest’s Big Four, while Austria was guaranteed a place as host.
That leaves Saturday’s final looking tightly packed before the first song is even sung. The field includes the full set of favourites, and live coverage noted that bookmakers had listed Delta, Israel and the UK entries among the top three contenders. Savage said: “Whatever the outcome, Saturday looks like it'll be a closely-fought contest,” and on the evidence from Vienna, that looks right.
The tension around the final is not just musical. Eurovision has long mixed voting drama with politics, and the argument around Israel’s public-vote prospects remains one of the contest’s most contentious storylines. But the facts on Saturday are simple: the qualifiers are set, the lineup is complete, and 25 countries now know they have one more night in Vienna to make their case.
For the singer or group that comes out on top, the path is now fixed. The final will decide whether the pre-contest favourites hold their ground or whether the public and juries turn the race on its head in front of a packed arena and a wider TV audience.
