Dara, a Bulgarian singer, was crowned queen of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 following a final which saw her country surge past Israel due to a public, worldwide vote.
Bulgarian singer Dara was crowned queen of Eurovision 2026 , following a final which saw the country surge past Israel due to public, worldwide vote . Dara, representing Bulgaria, the winner of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, holds the trophy during the Grand Final in Vienna, Austria, May 17, 2026.
Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Dara beat 24 other competitors during Saturday’s grand final in Vienna. The song’s infectious beats and tightly choreographed dance routine were a hit with both national juries and viewers who together decide the vote. Israeli competitor Noam Bettan came second after a contest clouded by protests against the country’s participation.
After a week’s buildup, acts from 25 countries took the stage at the Wiener Stadthalle arena in Vienna to battle for the continent’s pop crown. Millions of viewers around the world cast judgment on a fiery Finnish violinist, a Moldovan folk rapper, a Serbian metal band and many more at Eurovision’s 70th anniversary event. The campy, colourful contest has been likened to the World Cup with songs instead of football. And like global sports, it often becomes entangled in politics.
The contest has been clouded for a third year by calls for Israel to be excluded over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere, with five longtime participants – Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia – boycotting in protest. Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen from Finland perform the song Liekinheitin during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026.
The political tensions have clouded a contest that, over the decades, has given the world the perfect pop of Abba’s Waterloo and the ageless Nel blu, dipinto di blu – better known as Volare – along with a host of Euro-pop party anthems. The musicians had just three minutes to win over millions of viewers who, along with national juries of music professionals, pick the winner.
Jets of flame, glitter guns and wind machines worked overtime in a show that celebrated Europe’s eclectic musical tastes. Serbian metal band Kravina offered hard rock angst, as did Romania’s Alexandra Capitanescu with the provocatively titled Choke Me. Albania’s Alis used a brooding choral sound to pay tribute to mothers on Nan. British act Look Mum No Computer’s jokey novelty song Eins, Zwei, Drei was followed by Monroe, a soaring soprano from France with Regarde!
Female solo artists dominated: An empowering power ballad from Germany’s Sarah Engels, gospel-tinged R&B from Poland’s Alicja, ethereal beauty from Ukraine’s Leleka, techno-pop from Sweden’s Felicia. Male soloists were well represented too, by the likes of Aidan from Malta, Denmark’s Soren Torpegaard Lund, rock-edged singer Jonas Lovv from Norway, classic Italian crooner Sal Da Vinci and hometown hero Cosmo, representing Austria with a pleasing retro-techno sound.
Australian star Delta Goodrem showed what a diva should be like with her slick midtempo ballad Eclipse – and a bravura performance that sees her raised into the air above a glittery piano. A European country would likely host for Australia next year if she wins. Bettan from Israel was loudly cheered, though there was a smattering of boos as he performed Michelle, a rock ballad in Hebrew, French and English.
Earlier in the week, four people were ejected for trying to disrupt his semifinal performance. Party rap with a political edge was in the house thanks to Moldova and Greece. Rapper Satoshi’s ebullient Viva, Moldova was a love letter to Europe from a country moving toward the European Union after decades in Moscow’s orbit.
Greek artist Akylas’ song Ferto, or Bring It, provides a playful take on conspicuous consumption in a country still scarred by the economic wounds of the 2008 financial crisis. Both are likely to score highly with viewers, though national juries, which tend to be more impressed by technical excellence, may be less impressed. Winners are chosen by a mix of votes from the two, translated into points by a system confusing even to Eurovision fans.
The act with the most points wins, and its country gets to host the competition next year. Finland is the favourite in betting odds with Liekinheitin, or Flamethrower, a fiery duet between the singing of pop star Pete Parkkonen and the fiddling of classical violinist Linda Lampenius. Demonstrators protest against Israel ahead of the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026.
“Eurovision has never really been a contest for big stars. It’s largely been a contest for underdogs,” said Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic.
“People like to see the underdog on stage. They like the artist-in-the-making on stage or an artist from a smaller, poorer country on stage. ” Viewers around the world can vote for their favourites during and for a short time after the performances, before the results are tallied. Viewers in participating countries can vote up to 10 times, but aren’t allowed to vote for their own country’s act.
Viewers in the U.S. and other nonparticipating countries can vote online. Street protests opposing Israel’s inclusion over the conduct of its war in Gaza have been smaller in Vienna than at the 2024 contest in Malmo, Sweden and last year’s event in Basel, Switzerland. Hundreds marched near the contest arena before Saturday’s final, some holding placards saying “Block Eurovision”. Pro-Palestinian groups also staged an outdoor concert on Friday under the banner “No stage for genocide".
“Inviting Israel on such a beautiful stage as the Eurovision Song Contest stage is an affront to all the people who believe in humanity, who believe in love and togetherness,” said Congolese-Austrian artist Patrick Bongola, one of the organisers. The five-nation boycott is a revenue and viewership blow to an event that organisers say was watched by 166 million people around the world last year.
Eurovision director Martin Green urged viewers to put politics aside and enjoy the “brilliant, wonderful, heartfelt show”. Vuletic says political controversy is nothing new. The first Eurovision boycott was in 1969 – ironically, by Austria, which refused to send a delegation to Spain under dictator Francisco Franco.
“We’ve seen very politicised editions of the contest in the recent past,” Vuletic said. “All of them were very much mired in political controversy, yet Eurovision continues. " We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.
Eurovision 2026 Bulgarian Singer Dara Queen Of Eurovision Public Vote Israel Final In Vienna Worldwide Vote Infectious Beats Tightly Choreographed Dance Routine Receiving A Majority Public Vote Yearly Buildup Acts From 25 Countries Severe Political Tensions Festival Has Been Clouded For A Third Year Links With Music Europe's Eclectic Musical Tastes
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