Overview
- The European Broadcasting Union named 35 participating broadcasters for Vienna on 12–16 May 2026, marking the smallest field since 2003.
- Spain, Iceland, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia will not take part after Israel’s participation was confirmed.
- Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova are returning to the contest after recent absences.
- Semifinals on 12 and 14 May will feature 15 songs each, with professional juries returning to combine with public votes to decide ten qualifiers per show.
- A renewed rule package adds voting limits, larger and more diverse juries, and technical tools to detect coordinated or fraudulent voting, while Portugal’s presence is uncertain due to multiple national finalists refusing potential selection.