YLE, the Finnish national broadcaster, has confirmed that 491 songs have been submitted for UMK 2026.
A total of 491 songs have been submitted for UMK 2026, which marks a record number of submissions, six more than last year. From all entries, a professional jury has selected seven finalists that will compete in the final on February 28 at the Nokia Arena in Tampere.
Tapio Hakanen, Chair of UMK’s professional jury, shared some details about the finalists:
This season’s artist and song lineup includes a charismatic performer making their debut at UMK, an artist representing today’s most current sound, an internationally sought-after crowd-pleaser, a pioneer in their own genre, a charismatic duo of two unique voices, a dramatic pop piece from a singer with a stunning voice, and a captivating ballad from an artist radiating international appeal.
The seven finalists will be revealed during a live TV broadcast on January 14. Each competing entry, along with a music video, will be released individually from January 15 to 23.
Tickets for UMK 2026 will go on sale this Thursday, October 2 at 9am (EET). For the first time, fans will also have an opportunity to attend the afternoon dress rehearsal in addition to the live show. Tickets will be available via lippu.fi/umk.
Image source: Alma Bengtsson / EBU | Source: YLE
Finland first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961. They debuted alongside Spain and Yugoslavia. Finland has finished last in the contest on 10 occasions and has received ‘nul points’ three times. It wasn’t until 2006 that Finland won the Eurovision Song Contest. Lordi represented the country in Athens with the song “Hard Rock Hallelujah” scoring 292 points, a record total at the time.
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Posted by:Tamara Vecic
Tamara is originally from Slovenia but currently lives in The Netherlands. She became a Eurovoix member in February 2025. She has been actively following the Eurovision Song Contest since 2007 and gained interest for national selections in 2018. She closely follows the Balkan music scene and enjoys covering the region in her work.