Overview
- The 70th Eurovision Song Contest final in Vienna features 25 entries, with bookmakers listing Finland as the favorite and Germany’s Sarah Engels slated to sing second with her song Fire.
- Germany’s position at number two carries a stigma among fans because early acts tend to fade from memory by the public vote, and no past winner has started second, according to an ESC expert cited by dpa.
- Five countries, including Spain, are boycotting the event in protest at Israel’s participation and Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.
- Vienna police have tightened security around the Wiener Stadthalle, banning bags and drones and checking about 16,000 accredited people as demonstrations are expected.
- The EBU’s updated rules for 2026 restore juries for half of the semifinal points and cut each person’s public votes to 10, a move designed to curb mass televoting after 2025’s skewed outcomes.