Malmö Messages: The Big Five plus Sweden

We haven’t heard from the big five plus Sweden yet. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the host Sweden automatically qualify for the final. They had their rehearsal tonight.

The United Kingdom was the first to rehearse. If you think you have ended up in the locker room of a boxing match; this is still the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Olly Alexander is wearing red pants and a white shirt. His hands are taped up. Around him are a number of dancers in red shorts and with bare chests. According to eurovision.tv, the camera moves in such a way that it seems as if the room is spinning. It could make you “Dizzy”.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

Isaak, representing Germany, appears to be in a very luxurious living room while singing his song “Always on the run”. We see a fire pit, lots of flames, and the cube coming down again. Isaak himself is dressed in black and is flanked by four backup singers; live singing matters here too.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

Marcus and Martinus are performing “Unforgettable” for Sweden. And as usual, the Swedes have the exact same act on stage as they did during Melodifestivalen. The twins are dressed in blue and black. On the LED screens behind them, and on the cube above them, many colors and patterns are visible. Occasionally, the title of the song also appears. The act is the same, but huge.

EBU/Alma Bengtsson

The contestant for France, Slimane, is dressed in white during his “Mon amour”. He starts lying down and sings the first part of the song on his knees. Later, he stands behind the microphone and steps away from it to sing the last piece a cappella. The smoke machine does its job.

EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

The Spanish duo Nebulossa rehearsed next. Their song “Zorra” starts from the cube, which is now not hanging but has come all the way down. Mery is wearing pants with wide legs and a blouse with large puff sleeves. The red sofa, which Mery also was standing on during the national final, has come along to Malmö. There is smoke on the floor throughout the performance.

EBU/Corinne Cumming

Angelina Mango will perform for Italy in a red dress. On her arms and legs, we see some sort of plant images. The four dancers emerge from four large cubes to lift Angelina. She stands among them in front of a large throne made of branches. The whole scene is set against a backdrop of a sort of forest with bare trees. In short, there will be much to see during “La Noia.”

EBU/Corinne Cumming
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It’s time for another weekly Eurovision update. Lithuania has officially confirmed its participation for 2026. Bosnia & Herzegovina sadly announced it will not return. Belgium’s Eurovision plans remain uncertain despite earlier reports. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is inching closer to a possible debut. Austrian media are buzzing with the first host rumors, and ORF has entered negotiations with Vienna and Innsbruck to decide the 2026 host city. 🇱🇹 🇧🇦 Lithuania In, Bosnia-Herzegovina Out of Eurovision 2026 Lithuania’s broadcaster LRT has confirmed that the country will compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The confirmation was given to ESC Today. Details on how Lithuania will select its entry are yet to be announced, but a national final is expected as in previous years. 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett In contrast, Bosnia & Herzegovina will not be participating in Eurovision 2026. Broadcaster BHRT officially stated it cannot return next year. 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Both cities submitted their official bid proposals by the July 4 deadline and impressed the broadcaster with their plans. ORF conducted initial site visits at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna and the Olympiaworld arena in Innsbruck, the venues proposed in the bids. Following those inspections, ORF invited both cities to enter detailed negotiations, calling the two proposals “very exciting and promising”. ORF’s Director General Roland Weißmann praised Vienna and Innsbruck for their strong enthusiasm and suitable conditions to host the contest. The Stadthalle (which can hold up to ~16,000 attendees and previously hosted Eurovision in 2015) and Innsbruck’s Olympiaworld (around 12,000 capacity) both meet the key requirements. Over the coming weeks, ORF will be in deep discussions with each city’s team to scrutinize all logistical and financial details. 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Martijn

Weekly Update

It’s time for another weekly Eurovision update. Lithuania has officially confirmed its participation for 2026. Bosnia & Herzegovina sadly announced it will not return. Belgium’s Eurovision plans remain uncertain despite earlier reports. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is inching closer to a possible debut. Austrian media are buzzing with the first host rumors, and ORF has entered negotiations with Vienna and Innsbruck to decide the 2026 host city. 🇱🇹 🇧🇦 Lithuania In, Bosnia-Herzegovina Out of Eurovision 2026 Lithuania’s broadcaster LRT has confirmed that the country will compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The confirmation was given to ESC Today. Details on how Lithuania will select its entry are yet to be announced, but a national final is expected as in previous years. 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett In contrast, Bosnia & Herzegovina will not be participating in Eurovision 2026. Broadcaster BHRT officially stated it cannot return next year. That is due to ongoing EBU sanctions stemming from unpaid debts. The Bosnian delegation explained that without resolving the funding issues and outstanding debts – and securing a sponsor – a Eurovision comeback isn’t feasible. Bosnia & Herzegovina last took part in 2016 and has been absent from the contest ever since. 🇧🇪 Belgium’s 2026 Participation Remains Uncertain Contrary to reports last week, Belgium’s Eurovision 2026 participation is not yet fully confirmed. French-language broadcaster RTBF (responsible for Belgium’s 2026 entry) clarified the station has not officially committed to the contest yet. RTBF cited ongoing discussions within the EBU and among its member broadcasters. That’s why they are proceeding with preparations without a formal confirmation of participation for now. 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A final decision on Kazakhstan’s Eurovision 2026 fate is expected in the coming months. 🇦🇹 Host Rumors: ORF Eyes Swarovski and Knoll for 2026 With Austria preparing to host Eurovision 2026, speculation has started about who will present the shows. One name on everyone’s lips is Andi Knoll. He is Austria’s veteran Eurovision commentator. According to Kleine Zeitung, Knoll is considered a likely choice – essentially a “fixed” host for 2026. Knoll has been the Austrian commentator since 1999. So seeing him step on the Eurovision stage next year would be a fitting full-circle moment. 📷 Johan Morgenbesser, Wikimedia Commons Another high-profile name emerging is Victoria Swarovski. ORF is reportedly interested in the TV presenter as a potential Eurovision host. Victoria is known for hosting Germany’s “Let’s Dance”. Austrian media reveal that ORF insiders are “flirting” with the idea of featuring the Tyrolean-born Swarovski in the hosting lineup. However, there could be scheduling conflicts with her RTL commitments, which might depend on RTL’s involvement in Eurovision next year. 📷 Superbass, Wikimedia Commons Swarovski isn’t the only woman in the mix. Several ORF news anchors – such as Nadja Bernhard, Alexandra Wachter, and Raffaela Schaidreiter – are also rumored as possibilities for the hosting team. Fans have even speculated about bringing back the trio of female hosts from Vienna 2015: Arabella Kiesbauer, Mirjam Weichselbraun, and Alice Tumler. In fact, Kiesbauer has already stated she’d be ready to return if asked, saying “if I’m needed, I’ll be there”. ORF has yet to make any official announcements, so the host selection remains an exciting guessing game for now. Also Conchita Wurst is rumoured as a host. She did the job in the green room in 2015. Vienna and Innsbruck in Final Host City Talks Vienna and Innsbruck have emerged as the final two cities vying to host Eurovision 2026. Both cities submitted their official bid proposals by the July 4 deadline and impressed the broadcaster with their plans. ORF conducted initial site visits at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna and the Olympiaworld arena in Innsbruck, the venues proposed in the bids. Following those inspections, ORF invited both cities to enter detailed negotiations, calling the two proposals “very exciting and promising”. ORF’s Director General Roland Weißmann praised Vienna and Innsbruck for their strong enthusiasm and suitable conditions to host the contest. The Stadthalle (which can hold up to ~16,000 attendees and previously hosted Eurovision in 2015) and Innsbruck’s Olympiaworld (around 12,000 capacity) both meet the key requirements. Over the coming weeks, ORF will be in deep discussions with each city’s team to scrutinize all logistical and financial details. The final decision on the Eurovision 2026 host city is expected by the second half of August – so we’ll soon find out whether the honor goes to the capital Vienna or the Tyrolean city of Innsbruck. That’s all for this weekly update. Stay tuned for another roundup next week. The road to Eurovision 2026 continues! Share

Share
Read More »