Eurovision 2026 kicks off today in Vienna: where and when to watch the first semifinal
12 May 07:56
The 70th Eurovision Song Contest 2026 kicks off in Vienna on Tuesday, May 12. The first semifinal will take place at the Wiener Stadthalle and will begin at 10:00 p.m. Kyiv time. This year, Ukraine is represented by singer Leléka with the song “Ridnym”—she will take the stage in the second semifinal on May 14, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
Where is Eurovision 2026 taking place?
This year, Vienna is hosting the contest, with the Wiener Stadthalle serving as the main venue. Austria earned the right to host Eurovision after its representative JJ won the 2025 contest in Basel with the song “Wasted Love.”
Eurovision 2026 is a milestone edition—the contest is being held for the 70th time. Thirty-five countries are participating in this year’s contest, and the first semifinal kicks off the main contest week in Vienna.
When to watch the first semi-final of Eurovision 2026
The first semi-final of Eurovision 2026 will take place:
- May 12, Tuesday
- Start time — 10:00 p.m. Kyiv time
The official Eurovision website reports that the first semifinal in Vienna will start at 9:00 PM Central European Summer Time, which is 10:00 PM Kyiv time.
Where to watch Eurovision 2026 in Ukraine
In Ukraine, live broadcasts of Eurovision 2026 will be available on several platforms.
The broadcast will be provided by:
- Suspilne Culture website
- Suspilne Eurovision website
- The official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel
- Eurovision Ukraine YouTube channel (host commentary only)
- Megogo streaming
- Radio Promin.
The pre-show with host Timur Miroshnychenko and co-hosts Vasyl Baidak, Svitlana Tarabarova, and alyona alyona will begin at 9:30 PM on the Eurovision Ukraine YouTube channel.
Eurovision 2026 Schedule
The contest traditionally consists of three main shows:
| Date | Event | Time in Ukraine |
|---|---|---|
| May 12 | First Semifinal | 10:00 PM |
| May 14 | Second semi-final | 10:00 PM |
| May 16 | Grand Final | 10:00 PM |
It will be revealed in the final on May 16 which country will win Eurovision 2026 and earn the right to host the contest next year.
Who will perform in the first semifinal
In the first semifinal on May 12, representatives from 15 countries will take the stage. According to the official running order, Moldova will open the show.
Running order for the first semifinal:
- Moldova
- Sweden
- Croatia
- Greece
- Portugal
- Georgia
- Finland
- Montenegro
- Estonia
- Israel
- Belgium
- Lithuania
- San Marino
- Poland
- Serbia
Countries that have already automatically qualified for the final, including Italy and Germany, will also perform in the first semifinal.
When Ukraine performs
Ukraine will perform not in the first, but in the second semifinal, which will take place on May 14.
Ukraine’s representative, Leléka, will perform the song “Ridnym.”
According to the official running order, Ukraine will take the stage in the second semifinal as number 12.
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Who is Leléka and what is known about Ukraine’s entry
Leléka is representing Ukraine with the song “Ridnym.” It is a Ukrainian-language composition with emotional content, combining a modern sound with Ukrainian musical motifs.
Suspilne reported that during the first rehearsal in Vienna, Leléka presented an updated staging of the performance. The performance features a bandura, symbols of home, and dramatic lighting.
Who will perform in the second semifinal
The second semifinal will take place on May 14. It is during this semifinal that viewers will see Ukraine’s performance.
Performance order:
- Bulgaria
- Azerbaijan
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- Czech Republic
- Armenia
- Switzerland
- Cyprus
- Latvia
- Denmark
- Australia
- Ukraine
- Albania
- Malta
- Norway
Countries that automatically qualify for the final will also join this show, including the United Kingdom, France, and Austria as the host country of the contest.
How to vote
You can vote for your favorite performance via the official Eurovision Song Contest App, as well as via SMS, phone call (numbers will be announced during the live broadcast), and the esc.vote web platform, which is active only on broadcast days.
Viewers can cast a maximum of 10 votes per voting method. Ukraine can only vote during the second semifinal, when its representative performs, and during the Grand Final. However, residents of other countries can cast their votes in both semifinals.
How the finalists will be determined
Based on the results of each semifinal, 10 countries will be selected to advance to the grand final. In the final, they will be joined by countries that have an automatic spot in the final show.
The Eurovision 2026 Grand Final will take place on May 16. That is when the winner of the 70th Song Contest will be announced.
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