Road to Liverpool: Greece

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Greece.

Victor Vernicos

Victor Vernicos was chosen internally to represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest. Victor wrote
and composed the song himself.

Victor Vernicos Jørgensen, born in Athens, is a Greek singer/songwriter of Danish descent. He started making music at a very young age. When he was 8 years old, he sang his own version of the Eurovision song “Heroes”. His first single “Hope it’s heaven” was released in 2021. A year later, the song was followed by the song “Mean“. On 30 January 2023, it was announced that Victor Vernicos was going to be the Greek representant in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Legal action

The internal selection in Greece was quite complicated. Out of 7 shortlisted songs, 3 were chosen for the final selection: the female duo Antonia Kaouri and Maria Maragkou, Melissa Mantzoukis and of course Victor Vernicos. However, Antonia and Maria withdrew. Still, all three acts were awarded points. Melissa Mantzoukis took legal action to this and the way the winner was chosen. The voting system made Victor win, while with a voting system were every jury member would award 1, 2 and 3 points, Melissa would have won. A temporary injunction halting the Greek participation was denied by Greek courts on 6 March, citing the short time period between then and the EBU’s 13 March deadline for entry submissions. Mantzoukis’ lawsuit to be declared the winner and awarded damages is anticipated to be heard in mid-May following the contest.

Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest

Greece first took part in the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1974. Marinella‘s “Krassi, thalassa ke t’agori mou” didn’t gain many points, but is still a classic in Greece. The first top-5 score for Greece came in 1977, when Pascalis, Marianna, Robert and Bessy sang “Mathema solfège”. The first time Greece entered the top-3 was in 2001, thanks to the duo Antique and the song “Die for you”. Helena Paparizou, half of the duo Antique, brought the trophy to Greece in 2005 with “My number one”, but also Sakis Rouvas (“Shake it” in 2004) and Kalomira (“Secret combination” in 2008) reached the top-3.

Bookmakers

The bookmakers currently give Greece a 28th place in the betting odds. However, the specified semi final betting odds give a 9th place, which means Greece will head to the final in Liverpool. Let’s hope for the sympathatic singer that this will happen.

The song

And of course, this is the song:

 
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Martijn

Weekly Update

It’s time for another weekly Eurovision update. Belgium has officially joined the list of 2026 participants, and Israel intends to take part. The EBU shared a statement after recent discussions. Luxembourg, Austria, and Denmark opened their national selection processes. Meanwhile, two Austrian cities exited the host city race, while two others moved forward with formal bids. Belgium Confirms, Israel Plans to Participate Belgium confirmed its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Broadcaster RTBF announced the decision and will later decide how it will choose its entry. The Flemish broadcaster VRT will not be in charge this time, following the usual alternation. source: escspot 📷 EBU/Sarah Bennett Israel also intends to take part. Public broadcaster KAN said preparations are underway for next year’s contest in Austria. Although discussions about Israel’s role in Eurovision have drawn attention recently, KAN made its stance clear. Israel joins over a dozen broadcasters that have already declared their intention to participate.  EBU Responds with Statement after Assembly The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) addressed recent concerns about Eurovision’s direction. During the General Assembly in London, members shared their views on the contest’s growing challenges in a complex global climate. The EBU released a statement afterward, recognizing that participation questions have become more sensitive and complicated. Broadcasters voiced many opinions and expressed support for KAN’s independence, especially under political pressure. To move forward, the EBU brought in a former senior television executive to lead a structured dialogue with its members. This process will include further discussions and a report with recommendations, expected in the autumn. Countries Start Their Search for 2026 Entries In this weekly update we also look at national selections. Several countries have now launched their search for Eurovision 2026 songs. Luxembourg opened its submission platform on 4 July. Songwriters and performers can submit entries online. The national final will take place on 24 January 2026 at the Rockhal Arena. source: RTL Austria also began preparing for next year. Broadcaster ORF opened submissions for artists and songwriters. The submission deadline is 15 September. Last month, ORF hosted a songwriting camp in Vienna. Artists and producers worked together, creating 18 new songs. Some of these songs could be selected internally to represent Austria. source: Merci,Cherie In Denmark, broadcaster DR opened submissions for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2026. Composers can send in their songs until 2 November. A professional jury will select eight finalists. The national final is set for 14 February 2026 in Frederikshavn. The winner will represent Denmark at Eurovision 2026. source: DR 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Vienna and Innsbruck Submit Host Bids The list of potential host cities is getting shorter. Wels and Linz, who planned a joint bid, decided not to move forward. Technical issues and high costs led them to withdraw. Their venue, the TipsArena, didn’t meet key Eurovision requirements. source: OTS At the same time, Vienna and Innsbruck submitted official bids to host the contest. Vienna proposed the Wiener Stadthalle, the same venue it used in 2015. Innsbruck chose the Olympiaworld complex. Both cities confirmed their bids with detailed proposals. ORF, the Austrian broadcaster, will now review the applications. A decision on the 2026 host city is expected by 8 August. That’s all for this weekly update. Stay tuned for another weekly roundup next week as the road to Eurovision 2026 continues! Share

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