Montenegro and Albania have already released their ESC 2026 songs.Image: Watson
ESC
35 countries are taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. Now the first songs have been published, Albania and Montenegro are presenting them.
Jan 13, 2026, 2:24 p.mJan 13, 2026, 2:24 p.m
The Eurovision Song Contest is celebrating its 70th edition this year. The anniversary edition will take place from May 12th to 16th in Vienna after Austrian singer JJ won for his country at the ESC 2025 in Basel.
35 countries are officially taking part in the ESC this year, 5 nations are due to Israel taking part again declared their boycott and put out. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland will therefore not be there in Vienna.
All ESC winners since 1956
Two of the participating countries, Albania and Montenegro, have already published their songs, which they are sending into the race.
Here you will always find the latest list of participating countries and the corresponding acts and songs. We update the list continuously.
What do you think of the songs? Write it to us in the comments!
Albania
Alis – «Nân»
Albania was traditionally the first country to choose its ESC song shortly before Christmas.
The 22-year-old Alis will represent Albania with the song “Nân”. He made his breakthrough as an artist two years ago on the music show “X Factor Albania”.
He composed his ESC song “Nân” himself, resulting in a dramatic ballad.
Armenia
Artist open – song open
Australia
Artist open – song open
Azerbaijan
Artist open – song open
Belgium
Artist open – song open
Bulgaria
Artist open – song open
Bulgaria was not there in Basel at the ESC 2025. Now Bulgaria is taking part again and will decide on January 31st who will represent the country in Vienna. The song will be chosen around a month later, on February 28th.
Denmark
Artist open – song open
Denmark will decide who they will send to Vienna as part of the preliminary show “Melodi Grand Prix” on February 14th. The participating artists will be announced on January 22nd.
Germany
Artist open – song open
“The German final” will take place on February 28th, where it will be decided who will travel to the ESC 2026 for Germany.
Estonia
Artist open – song open
At the “Eesti Laul” preliminary round on February 14th, Estonia will decide who will compete in Vienna and thus become the successor to last year’s participant and “Espresso Macchiato” singer Tommy Cash.
Finland
Artist open – song open
The Finnish preliminary round “Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2026” will take place on February 28th, and the participating artists will be announced on January 14th.
France
Artist open – song open
Georgia
Artist open – song open
Greece
Artist open – song open
Greece will decide in February on the TV show “Sing for Greece” who will travel to Vienna.
Great Britain
Artist open – song open
Israel
Artist open – song open
On January 20th, Israel will announce which artist will represent Israel at the ESC 2026.
Italy
Artist open – song open
Italy has one of the most complex selection processes: at the Sanremo Festival, which lasts five days, a winner is chosen who is allowed to take part in the ESC.
The final will take place on February 28th.
Croatia
Artist open – song open
Croatia will select eight songs at the Dora Festival in February to send to Vienna.
Latvia
Artist open – song open
Lithuania
Artist open – song open
Luxembourg
Artist open – song open
Malta
Artist open – song open
Moldova
Artist open – song open
Moldova wasn’t there in Basel last year, but in Vienna they would like to put a song into the running again.
Moldova announced its finalists for the national pre-selection in December, and the decision will be made on January 17th.
Montenegro
Tamara Živković – “Nova Zora”
Like Albania, Montenegro also gave all ESC fans a Christmas present and chose their song for Vienna before the holidays.
And Montenegro is starting with the big ESC trowel, with Tamara Živković and the song “Nova Zora” they are sending a song with a typical ESC flavor into the race: fat bass, epoch-making vocals and a clear hook structure.
The interpreter Tamara Živković is, according to the ESC portal ESC compact trained flautist and studies music in Belgrade.
Norway
Artist open – song open
On Monday, January 19th, Norway will announce which artists are part of this year’s field of participants in the Norwegian preliminary round “Melodi Grand Prix 2026”. The event will take place on February 28th and will be broadcast on Norwegian television.
Austria
Artist open – song open
Austria will decide on February 20th in the program “Who sings for Austria?” who will succeed winner JJ.
Poland
Artist open – song open
Poland will decide in the national preliminary decision on February 14th who they will send to Vienna.
Portugal
Artist open – song open
Portugal also has a national pre-selection, the final will take place on March 7th and it will be decided there which act will compete for Portugal.
Romania
Artist open – song open
Romania was not at the ESC 2025 in Basel and will be sending a song into the race again this year.
San Marino
Artist open – song open
The decision as to who will represent San Marino at the ESC 2026 will be made on March 6th at the “San Marino Song Contest”.
Sweden
Artist open – song open
ESC fans rightly call the Swedish preliminary round “Melodifestivalen” “the secret ESC”. Hard to beat in terms of song quality and great presentation, the preliminary competition fills a total of six Saturday evenings of the Swedish television program, half (!) of the Swedish population watches “Mello”, as it is colloquially called.
The final will take place on March 7th.
Switzerland
Artist open – song open
Switzerland announces at the beginning of March which song “we” will be competing with.
Serbia
Artist open – song open
Serbia will decide in February who they will send to Vienna.
Czech Republic
Artist open – song open
The Czech Republic wants to release the song and artist in January.
Ukraine
Artist open – song open
Ukraine will decide on February 7th who will represent the country in Vienna.
Cyprus
Antigoni – song open
Artist Antigoni represents Cyprus.Image: ESC EBU
Cyprus announced back in November that British Cypriot singer Antigoni would be competing for them. However, the song has not been released yet.