VIENNA –
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 commenced its first technical dress rehearsal for the first semi-final at the Wiener Stadthalle. The event marks the third time Vienna has hosted the competition, following previous iterations in 1967 and 2015.
The 2026 production coincides with the 70th anniversary of the contest. A significant shift in institutional governance has been implemented for this edition: professional juries have been reinstated for the semi-final voting process, altering the qualification mechanics for the final and restoring a roughly 50/50 balance between jury and public vote that mirrors the structure of the Grand Final.
Production and Programming
The anniversary show is framed explicitly as a look back at seven decades of the contest’s evolution under the umbrella of the European Broadcasting Union, which owns and organizes Eurovision under a dedicated rulebook and Code of Conduct that broadcasters must follow as a condition of participation. The broadcast opened with a retrospective segment titled “By Your Side for 70 Years,” utilizing the narrative of an Austrian youth named Toni to review the contest’s history. The programming included a performance of “L’amour est bleu,” the 1967 Luxembourgish entry, performed by Toni and a 70-member choir. The rehearsal also featured an appearance by Vicky Leandros.
The contest is hosted by Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski. Additional programming includes a sketch titled “Professor Eurovision,” which focuses on the history of entries that received zero points, using archival material and in-jokes familiar to long-time viewers to bridge the gap between veteran fans and newer audiences.
Technical Execution and Staging
The first semi-final features 17 competing acts:
- 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 sì”
- Finland: Linda Lampenius and 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 Ceecah – “Sólo quiero más”
- San Marino: Senhit feat. Boy George – “Superstar”
- Poland: Alicja – “Pray”
- Serbia: Lavina – “Kraj mene”
Production reports indicate various technical challenges during the dress rehearsal. Performances by Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, and Poland experienced delays due to technical issues or extended setup requirements, prompting additional checks of the contest’s upgraded voting and broadcast infrastructure ahead of live transmission.
Staging highlights included Georgia’s use of cybernetic-themed LED graphics and Finland’s live violin performance, which received the strongest response from the attending press. San Marino’s entry featured a guest appearance by Boy George and the use of a hexagonal tube prop. Other high-production elements included the use of pyro in the German and Serbian performances, as well as complex lighting rigs lowered to stage level for the Serbian act. Organizers say these choices are designed not only for television spectacle but also to stress-test safety protocols and camera plans before the live show.
Institutional and Political Tensions
The 2026 contest is marked by significant diplomatic friction regarding the participation of Israel. Five nations-Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain-withdrew from the competition in protest of Israel being allowed to participate, turning what is formally framed by organizers as a non-political entertainment event into a site of visible political signaling by national broadcasters and, in some cases, their governments.
The European Broadcasting Union, which sets the contest’s core rules and “non-political” standard through its official Eurovision Song Contest governance framework and voting regulations, has spent the season emphasizing new safeguards intended to protect the integrity of the vote and curb undue influence, including stricter limits on promotion and the reintroduction of professional juries in the semi-finals under updated Voting Instructions and Code of Conduct for 2026 (EBU governance framework).
Further regulatory issues involve the Israeli broadcaster KAN, which has been cautioned for employing an excessive promotional campaign. The warning specified that the campaign in question was directly funded by the Israeli government during 2024 and 2025, raising concerns inside the EBU about state-backed efforts to influence a competition that is supposed to maintain a level playing field between public service broadcasters.
The first semi-final is currently in the rehearsal phase pending the live broadcast, with organizers under pressure to demonstrate that the tightened rules and heightened scrutiny can contain political tensions while preserving the contest’s “United by Music” brand in a landmark anniversary year.