No big surprises - but some disappointment for the UK alreadypublished at 22:41 BST 12 May

22:41 BST 12 May

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

For keen Eurovision-watchers, tonight's qualifying acts were almost a foregone conclusion.

Finland and Greece are the most-favoured contestants here in Vienna; with Israel and Sweden also in the Top 10.

The acts who didn't make it have been at the sticky end of the bookmakers' odds for weeks - with Portugal, Montenegro, Georgia and Estonia all in the bottom five, their Eurovision dreams over for another year.

The only person who managed to beat the odds was Polish singer Alicja, who was predicted to crash out after tonight's semi-final.

In the event, however, a strong vocal and a kinetic dance routine helped her roust her higher-placed rival, SENHIT, representing San Marino.

SENHIT's elimination also means the end of Boy George's Eurovision journey. I hope he doesn't have to pay excess baggage for that voluminous hat at the airport tomorrow.

But fear not, UK fans.

We still have two acts in the running, in the shape of British Cypriot singer Antigoni, representing Cyprus, and our very own musical boffin Look Mum No Computer flying the flag for the UK.

We'll meet both of them in the second semi-final on Thursday.

See you then!

Mark Savage
Music correspondent

The votes have been cast, the verdict has been delivered. Here's who we'll see again at Saturday's grand final:

• Belgium: Essyla - Dancing on the Ice
• Croatia: Lelek - Andromeda
• Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen - Liekinheitin
• Greece: Akylas - Ferto
• Israel: Noam Bettan - Michelle
• Lithuania: Lion Ceccah - Sólo quiero más
• Moldova: Satoshi - Viva, Moldova!
• Poland: Alicja - Pray
• Serbia: Lavina - Kraj Mene
• Sweden: Felicia - My System

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Jamie Whitehead
Live editor, not at the semi-final

Roo!

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Kanga!

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, EBU / Sarah Louise Bennett

For the second interval act (following the quiz), we're joined by Go-Jo, who memorably represented Australia in last year’s contest.

In a rather tortured comedy segment, we learn that he's been stuck in Austria ever since an unfortunate spelling error led to him catching the wrong flight home from Switzerland last May.

This kerrrazy misunderstanding cues up a song about the differences between Austria and Australia - which is every bit as baffling and barmy as it sounds.

After me, everyone: "When I say 'Kanga', you say 'Roo'."

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, EBU / Corinne Cumming

The votes coming in from around the world and in the arena we’re being treated to a little history of Austria's capital.

A Viennese slice if you will.

The city is home to one of the world's oldest amusement parks, the Prater, which dates back to 1895.

The park includes one of Vienna's most iconic landmarks, the Wiener Riesenrad, which for more than 60 years was the world's tallest Ferris wheel.

Against that backdrop, we're also being treated to a breathtaking acrobatic display by the Austrian dance company Zucaroh, who have some of the most audacious somersaults you've ever seen in your life.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

The voting lines are open - but only for the countries taking part tonight. That means the UK has to sit this one out.

Don’t worry, we get our chance at the second semi-final on Thursday.

For everyone else, you can vote via phone, SMS or the official Eurovision app.

In a major change this year, online votes require a credit card - part of an attempt to stop mass/co-ordinated voting - with each vote costing 15p for people living in the UK.

The changes come after Israel was accused of staging a government-backed advertising campaign, external to tip the vote in their favour last year.

However, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, has not explicitly linked its new policy to those claims.

You can read why Eurovision's fallout over Israel may change the competition forever by Daniel Rosney for BBC InDepth here.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, EBU / Alma Bengtsson

Uniquely this year, the UK has three chances to win (or, more realistically, lose) the Eurovision Song Contest.

As well as our own contestant, Look Mum No Computer (who doesn’t’ need to qualify as the UK is a member of the Eurovision “Big Four”, but will still perform in the second semi-final on Thursday), we can pin our hopes on English-born singer Antigoni Buxton, who is representing Cyprus; and Culture Club star Boy George, who performs a guest verse in San Marino's song, Superstar.

"I just love popping up where I'm not expected," he told us a couple of weeks ago.

"So, when I got asked to do this, I was like, 'Oh, absolutely', because I've watched Eurovision since I was a kid.

"But I never, ever thought I would be asked to be in it by another country, which I just love. It's such a great twist."

George performs alongside three-time Eurovision hopeful SENHIT, who has a history of bringing along surprise guests.

In 2021, her song Adrenalina featured US rapper Flo Rida - who famously missed the dress rehearsal because he was judging a bikini contest in Miami.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Israel's Noam Bettan took to the stage amid intense scrutiny and tension over his country’s presence at the Eurovision Song Contest.

There were supportive chants from some sections of the audience (and inside the media centre).

But you could also hear booing inside the arena; and one person could be heard shouting an anti-Israeli chant in an apparent reference to the war in Gaza.

Ahead of the show, Austrian public broadcaster ORF, which is hosting the contest, announced it would not censor booing or negative reactions to any of the participating acts.

Once the music started, however, Battan's performance went off without hitch.

You can read more on Israel's participation here.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, EBU / Alma Bengtsson

Tonight’s semi-final is jam-packed, with some of this year's most colourful and exciting contestants lined up to perform.

We won't be providing running commentary until Saturday's final- but here are some highlights to look out for tonight.

Opening the show we have Satoshi, representing Moldova,with the rabble-rousing anthem Viva, Moldova! It's almost the perfect Eurovision song, with a dash of patriotism mixed with an embrace of other cultures - including lyrics in Romanian, Italian, Latin, English, Spanish and French.

Finland is the bookies' favourite, with the bombastic and passionate Liekinheitin ("flamethrower"). It's performed by concert violinist Linda Lampenius with singer Pete Parkkonen, who has all the clean-cut good looks of his near-namesake in Spider-Man.

Dancing to electro-pop like a robot from 1984, is Lithuania's Lion Ceccah. His song, Sólo Quiero Más, is all about breaking free of the algorithm and reclaiming our humanity. To illustrate the struggle, he's painted head to toe in silver like the man from Rank, external.

Greece is also a strong contender, with 27-year-old Akylas showing off centuries of Greek culture in his innovatively staged song, Ferto.

We'll also hear from Israel's Noam Bettan. His country's presence at the contest has proved divisive but his song, Michelle, is one of the year's better ballads.

And keep an eye out for LAVINA, the band representing Serbia. They'll round out tonight's show with a guttural scream in their rock anthem, Kraj Mene.

For more details on all this year's entries, here's a guide we published over the weekend.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, EBU

Tonight’s semi-final opens with a film titled By Your Side for 70 Years, marking Eurovision's platinum anniversary. Has anyone given them a platinum disc?

It tells the story of Eurovision through the eyes of an Austrian boy called Toni, who grows up watching the contest.

Friends and fashions come and go, but his love of the contest endures - and we see clips of famous winners including Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Luxembourg, 1965), Save Your Kisses For Me (UK, 1976) and The Code (Switzerland, 2024).

As the sequence ends, we cut to the arena, where Toni sits behind a piano and plays L'amour Est Bleu - originally performed by Vicky Leandros at Eurovision 1967, the year that Vienna hosted the contest for the first time.

Leandros then joins him on stage, making for a touching finalé.

And now, the semi-final begins.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, EBU / Alma Bengtsson

Here are the 17 songs and performers who'll be taking the stage tonight.

Those performing typically want to avoid the "curse" of going second or third.

Historically, those slots have just a 40-45% chance of qualifying. But by contrast, the final two acts almost always sail through to the final.

Here’s tonight’s running order:

• Moldova: Satoshi - Viva, Moldova!
• Sweden: Felicia - My System
• Croatia: Lelek - Andromeda
• Greece: Akylas - Ferto
• Portugal: Bandidos do Cante - Rosa
• Georgia: Bzikebi - On Replay
• Italy: Sal Da Vinci - Per Sempre Si
• Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen - Liekinheitin
• Montenegro: Tamara Živković - Nova Zora
• Estonia: Vanilla Ninja - Too Epic to Be True
• Israel: Noam Bettan - Michelle
• Germany: Sarah Engels - Fire
• Belgium: Essyla - Dancing on the Ice
• Lithuania: Lion Ceccah - Sólo quiero más
• San Marino: SENHIT feat. Boy George - Superstar
• Poland: Alicja - Pray
• Serbia: Lavina - Kraj Mene

So, does this mean we can basically expect to see Poland and Serbia back in the Wiener Stadthalle on Saturday?

Stay tuned to find out.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, Shuttershock

It's the show's 70th anniversary, but the celebrations have been overshadowed by a ferocious row over Israel's participation.

As the delegations gather in Austria, five competition regulars will be absent, with Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain all boycotting the event.

Israel's presence has sparked controversy since its government began a massive military offensive in Gaza in October 2023.

During the most recent Eurovision contests in Malmö (2024) and Basel (2025), anti-Israel protesters filled the streets and Israel's participants were given armed guards.

Some countries claimed the public tally had been influenced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government's official social media channels, who had repeatedly urged followers to vote for New Day Will Rise - an unusual step for a government.

At a meeting last November, several countries tried to force a vote on Israel's presence at the contest. When the proposal failed, the withdrawals included Spain, one of the contest's biggest financial supporters, and seven-time winners Ireland.

It has left fans in a quandary.

Read more on Israel’s participation here.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Ten songs from each semi-final will qualify for Saturday’s grand final.

They will join last year's winner, Austria, along with the “Big Four” - France, Germany, Italy and the UK, who don’t need to qualify - for a total of 25 songs in the final.

The qualifiers are chosen by a public vote, combined with scores from juries of professional songwriters.

Crucially, votes can only be cast by the countries taking part in tonight's semi-final. There's also a wildcard "rest of the world" vote, allowing fans in countries including Japan and Canada to take part.

When the vote closes, every televote and every jury will have chosen a "Top 10" of their favourite songs.

The most popular gets 12 points, the second choice gets 10, and the rest are scored from eight to one.

But we don't find out those scores until after the final. Tonight, the hosts only announce who stays in Vienna, and who has to go home, dejected and rejected.

Mark Savage
Music correspondent, at the semi-final

Image source, EBU / Sarah Louise Bennett

Grüß gott, or good day, from Vienna, where the first semi-final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is about to kick off.

It's been a rainy day in the Austrian capital, but that hasn't dampened fans' enthusiasm. They’ve been queuing outside the Wiener Stadthalle carrying flags of every colour and denomination.

Fifteen acts are performing tonight, hoping to secure enough votes to compete in Saturday's grand final.

Among them are the two big favourites - Finland and Greece - who have been at the top of the bookmakers' odds for months.

We'll also hear from Germany and Italy, who qualify automatically as part of the "Big Four" nations who make the biggest financial contributions to the contest.

You’ll be able to watch all the acts live on this page by pressing Watch live above from 20:00 BST.