Eurovision 2026: Semi-Final 1 Insights

Photo credit: Alma-Bengtsson / EBU

The first semi-final of Eurovision 2026 has concluded with ten countries making it to Saturday evening's Grand Final (Sunday morning in Australia).

There are some interesting trends and details from these results so let's take a look!

There will be spoilers below!

Semi-final as a whole

Before we look at each country let's look at the semi-final as a whole.

Over 80% of the entries that featured a language other than English qualified (Moldova, Croatia, Greece, Finland, Israel, Lithuania and Serbia).

For the fourth year in a row the opening entry qualified for the Eurovision Grand Final.

Now, let's look at each country individually.

Moldova

Moldova returns to the Eurovision Grand Final after missing out in 2024 (they withdrew in 2025). They maintain a 100% record of all songs featuring Romanian making the Eurovision Grand Final - 2005, 2009, 2013, 2022, 2023 and now with Satoshi's Viva, Moldova!.

Aliona Moon who features in the performance has now qualified for the second time, after representing Moldova at Eurovision in 2013 with O mie.

Sweden

Sweden has now qualified for the Eurovision Grand Final for 15 years in a row, since 2010.

Bookmakers have Sweden in the Top 10 in tenth position to take out the Contest with 2% chance of winning.

Ever since 2011 Sweden has finished in the top 3 of their semi-final, expect in 2021 (7th place) and 2025 (4th place).

We will have to find out over the weekend if Felicia has achieved a podium finish in a semi.

Croatia

Croatia return to the Eurovision Grand Final after missing out last year.

Since the inception of the semi-finals this is only the fifth time a song in full Croatian language that has qualified for the Grand Final. When it comes to songs that featured in English and Croatian 50% of them have qualified for the Final via competing in a semi.

Andromeda is only the second song, in full Croatian, to qualify since 2009.

Greece

Greece have found their mojo, qualifying for the Grand Final for the third time in a row. They haven't had a qualifying streak of three or more years since the mid 2010's.

When it comes to the Greek language Ferto is also the third entry in a row with Greek to qualify.

Portugal

Unfortunately this year Portugal broke their five year streak of qualifying for the Grand Final.

More to come...

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