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All 35 Eurovision 2026 entries with original lyrics and side-by-side English translations, plus pronunciation hints. Print the booklet, hand it round, scream every chorus.
70 Years · 1956 → Vienna 2026
★ The Ultimate ESC Archive ★
HISTORY OF
EUROVISION
From seven countries in a Lugano casino to 200 million viewers worldwide — every winner, every scandal, every iconic moment. This is the story of the world's greatest music show.
✅ 14 MAY · SEMI-FINALS COMPLETE
Road to Saturday — the 26 acts heading to Wiener Stadthalle
Both semi-finals are now history. SF1 (12 May) sent 10 acts through, SF2 (14 May) added another 10, and the Big Five plus host Austria sit out the qualification round. That makes 26 finalists stepping onto the Wiener Stadthalle stage on Saturday, 16 May.
SF1 QUALIFIERS · 12 MAY
🇧🇪 Belgium · 🇭🇷 Croatia · 🇫🇮 Finland · 🇬🇷 Greece · 🇮🇱 Israel · 🇱🇹 Lithuania · 🇲🇩 Moldova · 🇵🇱 Poland · 🇷🇸 Serbia · 🇸🇪 Sweden
SF2 QUALIFIERS · 14 MAY
🇦🇱 Albania · 🇦🇺 Australia · 🇧🇬 Bulgaria · 🇨🇾 Cyprus · 🇨🇿 Czechia · 🇩🇰 Denmark · 🇲🇹 Malta · 🇳🇴 Norway · 🇷🇴 Romania · 🇺🇦 Ukraine
DIRECT TO FINAL
🇦🇹 Austria (host) · 🇫🇷 France · 🇩🇪 Germany · 🇮🇹 Italy · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
ELIMINATED THIS WEEK
🇪🇪 Estonia · 🇬🇪 Georgia · 🇲🇪 Montenegro · 🇵🇹 Portugal · 🇸🇲 San Marino · 🇦🇲 Armenia · 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan · 🇱🇻 Latvia · 🇱🇺 Luxembourg · 🇨🇭 Switzerland
Headline of the week: last year's host Switzerland missed the final — the first home-country exit since 2014. Australia got one of the loudest SF2 reactions and rocketed up the odds boards, while Greece cut Finland's runaway lead to single digits after a jaw-dropping SF1 jury show.
Eurovision By The Numbers
70
Editions held
52
Countries ever competed
7
Countries won 5+ times
758
Max points (2023 record)
200M+
Peak viewers worldwide
2
Artists won twice (Loreen, Logan)
35
Countries in Vienna 2026
0
"Nul points" → eternal shame
Seven Decades of
History
Click a decade to explore its defining moments, winners and controversies.
1956
The Very First Contest — Lugano, Switzerland
Seven nations gathered in a Lugano casino to compete in the first ever Eurovision Song Contest. Each country performed two songs — a rule that would never return. The winner was Switzerland, where the show was hosted, performed by Lys Assia. Critically: no one has ever seen the 1956 voting results. They were lost. Forever.
1957
Netherlands Wins the First Repeat
Frankfurt hosted the second edition. Ten countries competed and the Netherlands triumphed. A rule was introduced: winning countries must host the next edition — a tradition that holds to this day.
1959
Teddy Bear Becomes the First Superstar
The Netherlands won again, making them the first back-to-back winners. The contest was beginning to develop real fanatics across Europe, with audiences growing year on year as more households acquired television sets.
1963
The First Tie — Two Winners at Once
Eurovision's first ever tie — France's Jacqueline Boyer had won in 1960, but 1963 brought an unprecedented shared victory. The contest still had no tiebreaker rule, leading to chaos. The organisers eventually awarded the trophy to both.
1967
Sandie Shaw Goes Barefoot Into History
Sandie Shaw performed famously barefoot, and her bouncy pop song became the best-selling Eurovision winner of the 1960s. The UK's win sparked nationwide jubilation and brought the contest to Vienna — confirming Eurovision as a continental institution.
1969
Four-Way Tie — The Most Chaotic Night in ESC History
Spain, the UK, the Netherlands and France all finished with the same score. Eurovision had no tiebreaker — so all four were declared winners. The absurdity of this result led Austria, Finland, Norway, Portugal and Sweden to boycott the 1970 contest in protest.
1974
ABBA Win with "Waterloo" — The Moment Everything Changed
Perhaps the single most important night in Eurovision history. Sweden's ABBA performed "Waterloo" in Brighton, and won convincingly. The song launched them into global superstardom — becoming arguably the biggest pop act of the decade. Eurovision would never be treated as just a novelty contest again.
1975
Teach-In's "Ding Dinge Dong" — The Weirdest Winner
Netherlands returned to Eurovision glory with what many call the most absurdly catchy entry ever. "Ding Dinge Dong" is simultaneously impossible to dislike and impossible to explain.
1979
Israel Wins Back-to-Back — a Diplomatic Miracle
Israel had won in 1978 with Izhar Cohen. They won again in 1979, becoming the first country to win back-to-back. Hosting in Jerusalem caused political controversy, with some Arab broadcasters refusing to air the show.
1980
Johnny Logan Begins His Dynasty
Johnny Logan would go on to become the only person in Eurovision history to win as performer twice AND as songwriter. His 1980 win launched an Irish dominance of the contest that would define the following decade.
1987
Hold Me Now — Ireland's Third Crown
Logan's second victory as performer — the only person ever to achieve this. His emotional ballad became one of the most-played Eurovision winners of all time. He also wrote "Why Me?" for Ireland's 1992 win, becoming the only triple-Eurovision winner.
1988
Céline Dion Wins for Switzerland — Yes, Really
A future global superstar won Eurovision for Switzerland by just one single point over the UK — one of the closest finishes ever. Céline Dion's victory is a reminder that Eurovision has always been a launchpad for world-class talent.
1992
Ireland's Four-Win Streak Begins
Written by Johnny Logan, "Why Me?" gave Ireland its third win in a decade. Ireland would go on to win four times in five years (1992–1996), a streak that bankrupted RTE — Irish TV literally couldn't afford to host the show anymore.
1997
Katrina and the Waves — Love Shine a Light
The UK's fifth victory came in Dublin, and with the highest score ever recorded at that time. "Love Shine a Light" remains one of the most beloved Eurovision winners — anthemic, joyful, and performed with stunning energy.
1999
Charlotte Nilsson — Sweden's Third Title
Sweden continued building its Eurovision winning tradition. The contest's reach was expanding: Israel's Dana International had won in 1998 as the first openly transgender Eurovision winner — a landmark moment for LGBTQ+ representation.
2003
t.A.T.u. Lip-Sync Controversy — Russia Stuns Europe
Though they didn't win, Russia's t.A.T.u. caused the biggest pre-contest controversy in years. Their performance and the night's political voting patterns sparked the "bloc voting" debate that still dominates Eurovision discourse today. Turkey ultimately won.
2006
Lordi Bring Heavy Metal to Eurovision — and Win
Finland had competed since 1961 without a single win. Then they sent monster-costumed heavy metal band Lordi — and won with the highest score in contest history at that point. "Hard Rock Hallelujah" remains the most unexpected Eurovision winner of all time.
2009
Alexander Rybak Sets the All-Time Record
Rybak's "Fairytale" scored 387 points — a record that stood for 6 years. His violin performance, charisma and the song's pure joy made it one of the highest-voted entries ever. It remains beloved by fans to this day, a true Eurovision fairy tale.
2012
Loreen's "Euphoria" — Perhaps the Greatest Winner Ever
When Loreen walked onto the stage in Baku, no one expected what happened next. "Euphoria" won by a landslide — the most points ever from the public vote at that time. The song became a genuine chart hit across Europe, streaming for years after. Many consider it the greatest Eurovision winner in history.
2014
Conchita Wurst — a Moment Beyond Music
Austria hadn't won since 1966. Conchita Wurst — the drag persona of Thomas Neuwirth — performed "Rise Like a Phoenix" and won overwhelmingly. The victory transcended Eurovision: it became a defining moment for LGBTQ+ visibility in mainstream entertainment across Europe.
2016
Ukraine's Jamala Wins with a Political Bombshell
A song about the Crimean Tatar deportation by Soviet forces in 1944 — performed just two years after Russia's annexation of Crimea — won the contest amid significant political debate. Eurovision's rule against political content was tested but ultimately not applied, sparking a years-long rule review.
2021
Måneskin Blow the Roof Off — Rock Is Back
Italy's first win in 31 years. Måneskin performed with raw rock energy that felt alien to Eurovision's pop mainstream — and the audience loved it. The band went on to become global stars, headlining festivals worldwide and proving Eurovision's power as a launchpad yet again.
2022
Kalush Orchestra Win for Ukraine During War
The most emotionally charged Eurovision winner in decades. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine underway, "Stefania" won on a wave of televote support from across Europe. The contest faced an unprecedented decision: Ukraine could not host safely, leading to the UK stepping in as surrogate host in Liverpool.
2023
Loreen Does the Impossible — Wins Again
Loreen became the first female solo artist to win Eurovision twice, and only the second person ever (after Johnny Logan). "Tattoo" was the jury's runaway favourite, scoring the highest jury points total in history. Sweden's seventh victory — a new all-time record for any country.
2024
Nemo Wins for Switzerland — Non-Binary History Made
Switzerland's first Eurovision victory since Céline Dion in 1988 — and it came wrapped in history. Nemo, who is non-binary, became the first openly non-binary Eurovision winner. "The Code" fused rap, classical and pop in one dazzling performance. The win brought Eurovision 2025 to Basel... which brings us to 2026.
2025
Eurovision 2025 — Basel Hosts for the First Time
Switzerland hosted Eurovision for the first time in the modern era. Austria's JJ won with a stunning operatic-pop performance, sending Eurovision 2026 back to Austria — the country's third time hosting. Basel gave the world a flawlessly produced, emotionally rich show that cemented Switzerland's status as a Eurovision nation.
Most Wins
By Country
— Wins —
1
🇸🇪
7
Sweden
1974, 1984, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2012, 2015, 2023
2
🇮🇪
7
Ireland
1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996
3
🇱🇺
5
Luxembourg
1961, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1983
4
🇫🇷
5
France
1958, 1960, 1962, 1969, 1977
5
🇬🇧
5
United Kingdom
1967, 1969, 1976, 1981, 1997
6
🇳🇱
5
Netherlands
1957, 1959, 1969, 1975, 2019
7
🇮🇹
3
Italy
1964, 1990, 2021
8
🇺🇦
3
Ukraine
2004, 2016, 2022
9
🇨🇭
3
Switzerland
1956, 1988, 2024
— Individual Records —
Johnny Logan (Ireland) won in 1980 ("What's Another Year") and 1987 ("Hold Me Now"). Loreen (Sweden) won in 2012 ("Euphoria") and 2023 ("Tattoo"). Both hold the unique distinction of winning twice as lead performer — a feat considered almost impossible given how competitive the contest has become.
Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra scored 439 televote points in Turin 2022 — the highest televote score ever. The overall record of 758 points was set by Nemo (Switzerland) in Malmö 2024, benefiting from the expanded jury panel introduced post-2023. Under the pre-2023 system, Loreen's 2023 "Tattoo" had the highest jury score.
The infamous "nul points" — zero points from all voting countries — has hit Norway (4 times), Austria (3), Switzerland (2), and several others. The most recent nul points was Germany in 2015. It's worth noting: with modern televoting it's nearly impossible to score zero, so historical nul points carry extra weight.
Austria waited 48 years between wins — from Udo Jürgens in 1966 to Conchita Wurst in 2014. That's the longest gap for any country between victories. Luxembourg hold the record for longest absence from the contest entirely: they last competed in 1993 and are yet to return to the modern contest.
The record for most competing countries in one Eurovision is 43 countries, set in 2018 in Lisbon. The introduction of semi-finals in 2004 allowed this expansion while keeping the grand final to a manageable 26 acts. Russia's exclusion since 2022 and Belarus' exclusion since 2021 have slightly reduced the pool.
Did You Know?
Test Your ESC IQ
Click "Reveal" on each card to uncover the answer.
🏅
Which country has never won Eurovision despite being a founding member?
Belgium! — One of the original 7 countries in 1956 and still without a win as of 2025. They came agonisingly close in 1978 and 2003. "Mama" by Sandra Kim won in 1986 — but Sandra Kim was 13, and EBU later admitted she lied about her age, making it a controversial result.
🎻
How many instruments did Alexander Rybak play during "Fairytale" in 2009?
Just the violin — but Rybak played it while simultaneously singing, dancing, and charming approximately 120 million viewers. The backstory: he was born in Belarus, moved to Norway at age 6, and won by 169 points — the largest margin of victory in history at the time.
🎭
Which Eurovision winner went on to sell over 200 million records worldwide?
ABBA — won in 1974 with "Waterloo" and went on to become one of the best-selling music acts in history. But honourable mention: Céline Dion won for Switzerland in 1988 and has sold over 200 million records too. Eurovision: incubator of legends.
📺
What do Australia, Morocco and China have in common in Eurovision history?
All three have participated or broadcast Eurovision outside Europe. Australia has competed since 2015. Morocco competed once in 1980 (and never returned). China broadcast Eurovision in 2018 before being banned for censoring LGBTQ+ content during the show.
🗳️
Which country received "douze points" from the most other countries in a single year?
Ukraine in 2022 — Kalush Orchestra received 12 points from 28 out of 40 televoting countries, an extraordinary show of solidarity during Russia's invasion. The televote count alone would have given them the win by a massive margin even without any jury votes.
🕯️
What happened the year Eurovision was cancelled for the first (and only) time?
2020 — COVID-19 cancelled Eurovision for the first and only time in its 64-year history. The planned Rotterdam event was replaced by "Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light" — a non-competitive tribute show. All 41 acts that had been selected performed their entries virtually. Rotterdam finally hosted in 2021.
Eurovision 2026
Back to Vienna
Four Eras That
Defined the Contest
🎤 The Birth
1956–1969
- Seven countries, one casino in Lugano, Switzerland — 1956.
- Lys Assia wins the first ever contest for the host nation.
- The 1969 four-way tie triggers the first major rule crisis.
- Céline Dion's equivalent — Sandie Shaw performs barefoot (1967).
- Eurovision cements itself as a symbol of European post-war unity.
🏆 The Golden Age
1974–1988
- ABBA's "Waterloo" (1974) turns Eurovision into a global stage.
- Johnny Logan wins twice as a performer — no one else ever has.
- Ireland begins building an empire of wins.
- Céline Dion wins for Switzerland by just one point (1988).
- Pop music and Eurovision become inseparable for a decade.
🌍 The Expansion
1990–2010
- Post-Soviet expansion brings Eastern Europe to the stage.
- Televoting introduced — the audience gets real power (1998).
- Lordi's metal victory (2006) shatters genre expectations forever.
- Rybak's "Fairytale" sets a record-breaking 387 points (2009).
- The contest doubles in size, semi-finals introduced (2004).
✨ The Modern Era
2012–Today
- Loreen's "Euphoria" (2012) redefines what a Eurovision winner looks like.
- Conchita Wurst (2014) — Eurovision as platform for cultural change.
- Måneskin (2021) proves rock can win, then becomes globally famous.
- Loreen wins again (2023) — the impossible made real.
- Nemo's "The Code" (2024) — non-binary history in Basel.
70 years of history — now it's your turn.
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