Eurovision 2026 Vienna Semi Final 1 - Tuesday 12 May 8pm

[RedToothBrush]

Welcome to 2026’s MN Live Eurovision Threads. This year is once again marred by controversy (When hasn't it been?) I mean Sehit for a fourth time for San Marino with Boy George!!!? (Yes that Boy George) Fix!

Anyway, putting all the nonsense to one side this is for those of you who are here for the pan pipes (Yes we have pan pipes!), old crooners, the complusory appearance of the Eurovision violin, 70s/80s throwback costumes, Kryten from Red Dwarf and Joost Klein wannabies.

1 MOLDOVA Satoshi - Viva, Moldova!
2 SWEDEN Felicia - My System
3 CROATIA Lelek - Andromeda
4 GREECE Akylas - Ferto
5 PORTUGAL Bandidos do Cante - Rosa
6 GEORGIA Bzikebi - On Replay
ITALY Sal Da Vinci - Per Sempre Si
7 FINLAND Linda Lampenius & Pete Parkkonen - Liekinheitin
8 MONTENEGRO Tamara Živković - Nova Zora
9 ESTONIA Vanilla Ninja - Too Epic To Be True
10 ISRAEL Noam Bettan - Michelle
GERMANY Sarah Engels - Fire
11 BELGIUM Essyla - Dancing On The Ice
12 LITHUANIA Lion Ceccah - Sólo Quiero Más
13 SAN MARINO Sehit - Superstar
14 POLAND Alicja - Pray
15 SERBIA Lavina - Kraj Mene

Ten to Qualify for the Final.

The UK can not vote in this Semi Final (you vote in the semi you appear in).
Voting for participants opens after the last song has been performed.
Non participating countries (Hello Ireland) can vote as part the Rest of The World from midnight before the Semi-Final until the show starts when voting closes temporary before reopening after the acts have all performed.

Voting Changes from previous years
The jury vote returns for the Semi-Finals. This means there is less emphasis on the Televote than in previous years which should favour the more technically musical, reduce odd voting patterns and be harder for the quirker entries (which you might want to keep in mind when voting). There is also a bigger restriction on how many times you are allowed to vote, with everyone being cut to ten votes.

Belguim was the dancing on ice woman.

Not gonna lie. That was my favourite costume of the night

someone who deserves to be in the final won’t be at this rate

These aren't announced in order ofnmost votes are they?

Interesting Betting for Semi 1 had Montenegro, Estonia, San Marino, Belgium and Georgia going out.

So Belgium getting through is interesting.

Yay Serbia!!

I am worried about Saturday- Austria have been dull, dull hosts so far.

Silver man reminding me of Tobias in Arrested Development.

The betting was in order:

Finland,
Greece,
Israel,
Sweden,
Moldova,
Croatia,
Serbia

So not that different.

Portugal are toast I think.

And Croatia too, I liked that one.

Poland had the best singer to be fair.

Boy George is out.

Good. Poland through.

Bad luck boy George! Poland is a good singer

Phew for Poland, good singer.

Poland was a good singer. San Marino was a banger. Both should have qualified.

So it is announced in order? I can never remember all the Eurovosion rules 😂

She had the best pipes, to be fair. Well done, Poland.

Off to bed. See you all on Thursday

Glad that Poland got through.
Pity about San Merino.
Belgium were lucky.

I’d rather have had San Marino than Belgium. But I guess Belgium qualifying makes it less likely the UK will come last!

No its not. But it sure looks like the order was contrived for maximum drama.

Was that the real Boy George? I ask because I met a Boy George tribute act and couldn't decide whether they were the real Boy George or a copy.

That was the real Boy George yes.

Mr Rent-a-gob has been on his usual form in Vienna.

Yes she does look like KR!

I didn't think that dress did anything for her but couldn't work out why. It was oddly distracting.