Israel set to perform in first semifinal of Eurovision 2026
The first semifinal is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, followed by the second semifinal on Thursday, May 14
Israel will take the stage in the first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, performing in the second half of the show, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed Monday.
This year’s contest will be held in Vienna, Austria.
The first semifinal is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, followed by the second semifinal on Thursday, May 14. The grand final will take place on Saturday, May 16.
In the first semifinal, Israel will compete against a lineup that includes Georgia, Portugal, Croatia, Sweden, Finland, Moldova, Greece, Montenegro, Estonia, San Marino, Poland, Belgium, Lithuania, and Serbia. Portugal has been noted in the past as one of the most outspoken countries regarding Israel’s participation.
The draw also assigned the “Big Four” countries (after Spain’s withdrawal) to the semifinals. Germany and Italy will join the first semifinal, while the United Kingdom, France, and host country Austria will appear in the second semifinal.
The second semifinal will feature Armenia, Romania, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Albania, Denmark, Cyprus, Norway, Malta, Australia, Ukraine, and Latvia.
Fans will be eager to see if Israel can build on its recent success, including Yuval Rafael’s second-place finish at Eurovision 2025, as the country aims for another strong showing on the European stage.