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And that\u2019s it! The songs have all been sung, which means we now enter Eurovision\u2019s most sacred tradition: sitting through seventeen recaps, pretending to enjoy the interval act, and slowly losing all sense of time.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a>25. \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf9 Austria: COSM\u00d3 \u2013 Tanzschein<\/p>\n We\u2019re wrapping up this year\u2019s show with the host nation Austria, and COSM\u00d3 (caps lock drink, if you\u2019re still standing) singing Tanzschein, which means \u2018dance license\u2019. My Austrian husband LOVES this, but then he can understand the lyrics and appreciate that they\u2019re actually quite deep and thoughtful.<\/p>\n For those of us who are only on Duolingo German level 9, however, it feels a bit dated musically and the dancers in silver animal masks make little sense. But essentially the club is a uber-masc jungle of animals, and COSM\u00d3 wants to introduce a license that only admits people who live for the dance. So Euroclub, basically. Got it, and here for Austria bringing the happy finish.<\/p>\n Austria at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Alma Bengtson\/EBUShare<\/a>24. \ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf4 Romania: Alexandra C\u0103pit\u0103nescu – Choke Me<\/p>\n Only two songs left! Time for a rock anthem from Romania, and apparently the whole choking theme is metaphorical, although lyrics like \u201cborn for you to control\u201d and \u201clove me, make my lungs explode\u201d do make you question how firmly she\u2019s digging in.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame, because Alexandra has a fantastic voice and incredible stage presence, and lyrics aside, it\u2019s a really strong performance. But it also makes me feel a bit uneasy, and I\u2019m afraid can\u2019t quite switch that part of my brain off. Regardless, I fully expect this to do extremely well this evening.<\/p>\n Romania at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Sarah Louise Bennett\/EBUShare<\/a>23. \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf4 Norway: JONAS LOVV – YA YA YA<\/p>\n Time for Norway, with JONAS LOVV (DRINK) singing YA YA YA, which is essentially Benson Boone doing Seven Nation Army via the medium of M\u00e5neskin.<\/p>\n Glam rock isn\u2019t usually my thing, but this is actually great – JONAS has bags of stage presence and fully commits to the strut. I suspect his carnival fishing waders may be the closest we get to lederhosen tonight, so savour the moment.<\/p>\n That said, we do need to talk about the lyric \u201cI got no self control \/ left it right all over you and your pretty clothes.\u201d Eww, JONAS. This is cashmere. Have some respect.<\/p>\n Norway at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve just been told that Linda Lampenius appeared in series 9 of Baywatch. She played a European violinist who gets stranded on a yacht, and there\u2019s some kind of smuggling plot involving her violin case. I feel like I definitely need to watch this.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>22. \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9 Italy: Sal Da Vinci – Per Sempre S\u00ec<\/p>\n OK, time for Italy\u2019s Sal Da Vinci with Per Sempre Si. Please stop whatever you\u2019re doing and watch, because rarely has a Sanremo winner split the Italian public quite like this one. For some, it\u2019s a joyfully old-school Italian love song that makes you want to dance round your kitchen singing into a giant pepper grinder. For others, it\u2019s painfully naff 1970s disco with no business being anywhere near Eurovision<\/a> in 2026.<\/p>\n I\u2019m very much in the LOVE camp. Yes, the only thing that would make this Italian wedding any cheesier is parmesan raining from the rafters, but I don\u2019t care, because it radiates pure joy and I cannot stop smiling. Don\u2019t miss the splendidly camp Buck\u2019s Fizz-style skirt rip towards the end. Douze points, no notes, more prosecco.<\/p>\n Italy at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Ian West\/PAShare<\/a>21. \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfe Cyprus: Antigoni \u2013 JALLA<\/p>\n Love Island veteran Antigoni from Cyprus (via North London) had a bit of a vocal nightmare on Thursday, and it was by no means guaranteed that JALLA (caps lock DRINK) would make it through. But she did, so let\u2019s see if tonight\u2019s an improvement.<\/p>\n JALLA means \u201cmore\u201d in Greek, so we can now add that to the \u201cbring it\u201d courtesy of Greece earlier. Between the two of them, we\u2019re now ready to order in any taverna. It\u2019s a high-energy, OPA-heavy girl bop in the traditional Cypriot Shakira style, featuring an outfit assembled from what appears to be strategic fabric remnants. Vocally, this is a LOT better than Thursday, but\u2026still not great.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want more?\u201d asks Antigoni. I mean, in principle yes \u2013 JALLA is a proper banger. In practice\u2026let\u2019s take a moment.<\/p>\n Cyprus at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Sarah Louise Bennett\/EBUShare<\/a>20.\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea Sweden: FELICIA – My System<\/p>\n Time for Sweden to do their immaculately polished, mildly intimidating Sweden thing, this year courtesy of FELICIA (caps lock DRINK) with a full-throttle techno banger. We\u2019ve got pounding bass, an industrial quantity of lasers, and what appears to be sparkly PPE. Because safety first, even when we rave.<\/p>\n On paper, this is extremely my sort of nonsense, but to my ears it\u2019s giving strong \u201clost Cascada B-side circa 2006\u201d vibes, and while that is a very specific pleasure, Sweden can usually be relied on to aim a bit higher than the Eurodance bargain bin. I want more, Sweden. JALLA. Oh no wait, that\u2019s coming up next.<\/p>\n Sweden at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Alma Bengtson\/EBUShare<\/a>19. \ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddf9 Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – S\u00f3lo Quiero M\u00e1s<\/p>\n Time for something a little\u2026alternative. How you feel about this will depend entirely on whether you were ever deeply traumatised by a) the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, or b) a living statue in Bath in 1981. If so, maybe watch this from behind a cushion. If not, stick it in the Louvre, this is performance art.<\/p>\n Apparently Lion Ceccah has been sprayed silver at all times backstage since rehearsals began, which is almost certainly terrible for his skin, but also a level of commitment to the bit you have to respect. It\u2019s a bold and mildly baffling warning about the dangers of AI, and probably genius. Will it trouble the scoreboard? Who knows. Will it haunt a subset of viewers for years to come? Absolutely.<\/p>\n Lithuania at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Corinne Cumming\/EBUShare<\/a>18. \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 Poland: ALICJA \u2013 Pray<\/p>\n Time for Poland\u2019s ALICJA (caps lock DRINK), previously selected back in 2020 before the small matter of the contest being cancelled, and now returning six years later to bring some very welcome gospel\/R\u2018n\u2019B to Eurovision<\/a>. Whilst some of the artists in the first Semi-Final on Tuesday got a bit pitchy in places, ALICJA delivered what was arguably the strongest vocal of the evening, and I think she totally deserves her place in the final.<\/p>\n I also really like the staging for this – there\u2019s a lot you can do with a giant wedge, four very athletic male dancers and a monochrome palette, and it all feels very cool and controlled. It does take a while to get going, however, and Eurovision audiences are not known for their patience.<\/p>\n Poland at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Corinne Cumming\/EBUShare<\/a>17.\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddee Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen \u2013 Liekinheitin<\/p>\n Time for Finland\u2019s Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen to deliver what has long been tipped to be this year\u2019s winning performance. Finland have been quietly levelling up for years now, so it does feel like it\u2019s probably time for the good ship Eurovision<\/a> to dock in Helsinki for the first time since Lordi won in 2006.<\/p>\n Is this the best song in the contest? Probably not \u2013 it\u2019s a bit dated to my ears, but the absolutely scorching staging and classical violinist Linda\u2019s frankly ridiculous violin\/running in heels skills elevate it into something pretty special. And in an unusual concession, the powers that be have decided she can play it live, which usually isn\u2019t the case with instruments on stage at Eurovision \u2013 I think this is only the second time since 1998, or something.<\/p>\n Finland at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Sarah Louise Bennett\/EBUShare<\/a><\/p>\n An update from Martin on what\u2019s happening in the arena:<\/p>\n Look Mum No Computer went down quite well in the room. Yes it\u2019s a bit wacky and lots of British media have run it down, but he has leaned into it and the arena was singing along with EINS ZWEI DREI, and you can\u2019t say many recent UK entries recently got sung along to. But France got an ecstatic reaction and I wonder if it could be an outside bet. Huge chants of \u201cMoldova\u201d greeted the next act before they came on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>16. \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde9 Moldova: Satoshi – Viva, Moldova!<\/p>\n A very warm welcome back to Moldova, absent from Eurovision<\/a> since 2024 and clearly determined to make up for lost time. Please strap in for three minutes of a multi-language football chant\u2026about Moldova. Yes, really. I acknowledge that sounds like the sort of concept that has no business outside a national final, but stick with it because it\u2019s absurdly fun.<\/p>\n Satoshi arrives armed with enough joy and gusto to power a small nation (his own, conveniently), and even if your personal levels of Moldovan pride are hovering near zero, or you\u2019re a bit hazy on Moldova\u2019s exact whereabouts on the European map, it\u2019s hard not to get swept along.<\/p>\n PS If you suffer from motion sickness, consider this a warning. The camerawork is WILD.<\/p>\n Moldova at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Alma Bengtson\/EBUShare<\/a><\/p>\n Just when you think these hosts have reached peak awkwardness, a technical issue forces them into barely-scripted filler. We are now operating beyond known cringe levels. I am currently trying to leave my own body.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>15. \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 France: Monroe – Regarde !<\/p>\n Time for another of this year\u2019s Big 4, with France\u2019s Monroe, singing Regard ! The space before the exclamation mark is their style choice, not mine – maybe they want me to take an extra breath before pointing out that this is classic example of the French definition of Eurovision<\/a> madness, which is doing the same thing every year and expecting different results. To be fair, they\u2019ve thrown in a bit of Rosal\u00eda-style popera because that\u2019s won for the past two years, so well done France, I guess?<\/p>\n That said, 17-year-old Monroe is an undeniable talent, and France are long overdue a win. This will deservedly land in the top five, and I am fully prepared to eat my words, sandwiched in a fresh baguette, if it goes all the way. But for now, I\u2019m calling fourth place.<\/p>\n France at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Corinne Cumming\/EBUShare<\/a>14.\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 United Kingdom: LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER – Eins, Zwei, Drei<\/p>\n Right, brace brace, because the UK is up next! LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER (caps lock DRINK) is the alter ego of YouTuber Sam Battle, who is known for his quirky electro and *checks notes*\u2026Furby organ, which I very much hope is a musical instrument, for all our sakes.<\/p>\n This entry seems to be as Marmite to Brits as Sal Da Vinci is to Italians (we\u2019ll get to that later), but it all comes down to how much you love a bit of eccentric novelty Britpop featuring shouting in German, I guess? Personally I fully support the BBC rejecting the usual time-worn ballads and taking risks, and whilst I have no idea whether anyone is going to give it any points, I salute the ambition.<\/p>\n United Kingdom at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Sarah Louise Bennett\/EBUShare<\/a>13. \ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf7 Croatia: LELEK \u2013 Andromeda<\/p>\n LELEK from Croatia (caps lock DRINK) – not to be confused with LEL\u00c9KA from Ukraine, because Eurovision<\/a> naming remains a logistical nightmare – are a female five-piece folk-pop collective blending traditional Croatian music with more contemporary sounds. If that seems on paper a bit like last year\u2019s Latvian woodland fairies, it\u2019s really not \u2013 this packs a lot more high priestess drama and edge, even if I can\u2019t be entirely rule out that they\u2019re cursing us all.<\/p>\n The staging for this is genuinely one of the most striking of the night, and for better or worse, this has been stuck in my head since Tuesday. ANDROMEDAAAAAA.<\/p>\n Just for info, we have past the half way point. Of the singing, anyway. The contest still has many, many hours to go.<\/p>\n Croatia at Eurovision 2026 Photograph: Corinne Cumming\/EBUShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.20 EDT<\/p>\n 12.\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddec Bulgaria: DARA \u2013 Bangaranga<\/p>\n Time for another of tonight\u2019s chaos bangers, courtesy of Bulgaria\u2019s DARA (caps lock DRINK). Bulgaria are back for the first time in four years, and clearly determined to make up for it – this is the Eurovision<\/a> equivalent of throwing absolutely everything at the wall to see what sticks.<\/p>\n It\u2019s at least three songs in one, features some deeply surreal Bob Fosse-adjacent staging, and launches into a dance break before it\u2019s barely got going. I have no idea what this is, but it makes my teeth rattle in the best possible way and I can\u2019t stop listening. Welcome to the riot.<\/p>\n