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. In short, Belgium is lining up a potential act for Eurovision 2026, but RTBF is keeping its options open until certain international discussions are resolved.

🇰🇿 EBU to Discuss Kazakhstan’s Possible Debut

Kazakhstan’s Eurovision dreams are gaining traction. During the recent EBU General Assembly in London, the chairman of Kazakhstan’s broadcaster (Khabar Agency) met with EBU officials to propose the country’s debut in 2026. According to Kemelbek Oishybayev (Khabar’s director), EBU chief Noel Curran reacted positively and agreed to have Kazakhstan’s participation proposal discussed at the next EBU meeting.

If the EBU extends an invitation, 2026 could mark Kazakhstan’s first appearance in the Eurovision Song Contest. Kazakhstan has participated in Junior Eurovision in the past, but because Khabar is not a full EBU member, a special invitation is required for the main contest. So far, Australia is the only country to receive such an invitation. 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!

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Martijn

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70 years of Eurovision: Céline Dion and…. eh… who?

The Eurovision Song Contest is celebrating its 70th anniversary. That is a wonderful milestone. We at Eurovision Universe love diving into the history of the contest. That is why we are taking a closer look at the contests of the past 70 years. 1988 For the second time, the Royal Dublin Society was the venue. Two hosts were in charge: Pat Kenny and Michelle Rocca. Cyprus had to withdraw. The Cypriot entry turned out to have already participated in the national final four years earlier. That came out so late that Cyprus could not find a new song in time. Tommy Körberg participated for Sweden. He did that back in 1969 as well. Back then, there were two winners in the national final: Tommy and Jan Malmsjö. After a runoff, Tommy was allowed to go to the Eurovision Song Contest. And lo and behold, in 1988 he was the replacement for…. that very same Jan Malmsjö! Yardena Arazi participated for Israel. She did so in 1976, but in 1979 she was the host. It is the first and only time that a former host participated. MFÖ represented Turkey for the second time. Furthermore, the duo Hot Eyes was present for the third time. This time, singer Kirsten Siggaard was pregnant for no less than eight months! And then there was Dora. She had participated for Portugal before, and now again. Many big stars traveled to Dublin. Scott Fitzgerald had already had a worldwide hit with “If I Had Words” and now sang “Go” for the United Kingdom. Gerard Joling, who had just completed a tour of Asia, was the Dutch candidate. And France also came up with a big star: Gérard Lenorman. Unfortunately, there was little attention for his “Chanteur de charme”. And then there was the Belgian Lara Fabian. She represented Luxembourg with the song “Croire”. At that time she was still unknown; later she would score many hits.   Céline Dion It was nail-bitingly exciting. The United Kingdom and Switzerland constantly swapped first place. Until the very last point, it was unclear who would win. It was ultimately Céline Dion for Switzerland. This Canadian singer sang “Ne partez pas sans moi”. It didn’t become a big hit everywhere. But a year later, she got to open the festival and sang “Where Does My Heart Beat Now”. It became her first international hit, but certainly not the last. Her absolute biggest success was “My Heart Will Go On”, but she scored many hits. Due to illness, she was unable to perform for a long time. So there was admiration when she did sing during the Olympic Games in Paris. And recently she announced that she will start performing again. 1989 The Eurovision Song Contest was held in Lausanne. Once again, there was a duo presentation: Jacques Descheneaux and Lolita Morena. Cyprus was back after a long absence. Not a single participant had been on the Eurovision stage before. However, two very young participants were striking and controversial. 12-year-old Gili Netanel participated for Israel as half of the duo Gili & Galit. For France, the even younger, 11-year-old Nathalie Pâque took the stage. This makes her the youngest soloist ever. Many people disagreed with the participation of such young children. A year later, a minimum age was therefore introduced. The show opened with the occasional duo Anna Oxa and Fausto Leali. Two big names in Italian music, who now finished ninth together with “Avrei voluto”. One of the favorites competed for the Netherlands: Justine Pelmelay. But Justine missed a high final note and did not finish as high as expected at all. Birthe Kjær (Denmark) and Anneli Saaristo (Finland) had both tried to represent their country several times before. Now that the time had finally come, both were very successful. With a bright red dress and a swinging song, Birthe came third. Anneli was accompanied by Spanish guitar sounds and sang her song to a seventh place. The Icelandic Daníel was also notable. During the national final, then still with a shaved head, he seemed unable to crack a smile after his victory. As if participating in the Eurovision Song Contest was a severe punishment for the Icelandic singer. Once in Lausanne, now with hair, the Icelander failed to secure even a single point. Riva For the third consecutive time, the duo Stevo Cvikić and Rajko Dujmić wrote the entry. Always following the same recipe: a group with a female singer and a cheerful trifle. As there was no other clear favorite, the group Riva won for Yugoslavia with “Rock Me”. In Yugoslavia, people were happy, but in the rest of Europe, incomprehension prevailed. This wasn’t the best song, was it? What had the jury done!? During the afterparty, a number of participating artists huddled together for a jam session. Among those on stage were the Spanish Nina and the Dutch Justine. Friend and foe alike agreed that this was all much better than the winning song.

Read More »
April 11, 2026 No Comments
History
Martijn

70 years of Eurovision: Céline Dion and…. eh… who?

The Eurovision Song Contest is celebrating its 70th anniversary. That is a wonderful milestone. We at Eurovision Universe love diving into the history of the contest. That is why we are taking a closer look at the contests of the past 70 years. 1988 For the second time, the Royal Dublin Society was the venue. Two hosts were in charge: Pat Kenny and Michelle Rocca. Cyprus had to withdraw. The Cypriot entry turned out to have already participated in the national final four years earlier. That came out so late that Cyprus could not find a new song in time. Tommy Körberg participated for Sweden. He did that back in 1969 as well. Back then, there were two winners in the national final: Tommy and Jan Malmsjö. After a runoff, Tommy was allowed to go to the Eurovision Song Contest. And lo and behold, in 1988 he was the replacement for…. that very same Jan Malmsjö! Yardena Arazi participated for Israel. She did so in 1976, but in 1979 she was the host. It is the first and only time that a former host participated. MFÖ represented Turkey for the second time. Furthermore, the duo Hot Eyes was present for the third time. This time, singer Kirsten Siggaard was pregnant for no less than eight months! And then there was Dora. She had participated for Portugal before, and now again. Many big stars traveled to Dublin. Scott Fitzgerald had already had a worldwide hit with “If I Had Words” and now sang “Go” for the United Kingdom. Gerard Joling, who had just completed a tour of Asia, was the Dutch candidate. And France also came up with a big star: Gérard Lenorman. Unfortunately, there was little attention for his “Chanteur de charme”. And then there was the Belgian Lara Fabian. She represented Luxembourg with the song “Croire”. At that time she was still unknown; later she would score many hits.   Céline Dion It was nail-bitingly exciting. The United Kingdom and Switzerland constantly swapped first place. Until the very last point, it was unclear who would win. It was ultimately Céline Dion for Switzerland. This Canadian singer sang “Ne partez pas sans moi”. It didn’t become a big hit everywhere. But a year later, she got to open the festival and sang “Where Does My Heart Beat Now”. It became her first international hit, but certainly not the last. Her absolute biggest success was “My Heart Will Go On”, but she scored many hits. Due to illness, she was unable to perform for a long time. So there was admiration when she did sing during the Olympic Games in Paris. And recently she announced that she will start performing again. 1989 The Eurovision Song Contest was held in Lausanne. Once again, there was a duo presentation: Jacques Descheneaux and Lolita Morena. Cyprus was back after a long absence. Not a single participant had been on the Eurovision stage before. However, two very young participants were striking and controversial. 12-year-old Gili Netanel participated for Israel as half of the duo Gili & Galit. For France, the even younger, 11-year-old Nathalie Pâque took the stage. This makes her the youngest soloist ever. Many people disagreed with the participation of such young children. A year later, a minimum age was therefore introduced. The show opened with the occasional duo Anna Oxa and Fausto Leali. Two big names in Italian music, who now finished ninth together with “Avrei voluto”. One of the favorites competed for the Netherlands: Justine Pelmelay. But Justine missed a high final note and did not finish as high as expected at all. Birthe Kjær (Denmark) and Anneli Saaristo (Finland) had both tried to represent their country several times before. Now that the time had finally come, both were very successful. With a bright red dress and a swinging song, Birthe came third. Anneli was accompanied by Spanish guitar sounds and sang her song to a seventh place. The Icelandic Daníel was also notable. During the national final, then still with a shaved head, he seemed unable to crack a smile after his victory. As if participating in the Eurovision Song Contest was a severe punishment for the Icelandic singer. Once in Lausanne, now with hair, the Icelander failed to secure even a single point. Riva For the third consecutive time, the duo Stevo Cvikić and Rajko Dujmić wrote the entry. Always following the same recipe: a group with a female singer and a cheerful trifle. As there was no other clear favorite, the group Riva won for Yugoslavia with “Rock Me”. In Yugoslavia, people were happy, but in the rest of Europe, incomprehension prevailed. This wasn’t the best song, was it? What had the jury done!? During the afterparty, a number of participating artists huddled together for a jam session. Among those on stage were the Spanish Nina and the Dutch Justine. Friend and foe alike agreed that this was all much better than the winning song.

Read More »
April 11, 2026 No Comments
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