The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 has crowned a shock winner, with Bulgaria taking the trophy and Israel finishing in second place. The grand final, held at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria, marked the 70th anniversary of the contest and was undoubtedly the most controversial and chaotic in its history.
Bulgaria's Triumph
Bulgaria surprised everyone by winning with a whopping 516 total points from both jury and audience votes. The country was represented by 27-year-old Darina Nikolaeva Yotova, known as Dara, who performed the catchy pop song Bangaranga. After her victory, Dara performed the song again and received the microphone-shaped trophy from predecessor JJ, who congratulated her warmly.
Israel's Second Place
Israel's Noam Bettan came second with his song Michelle, earning 343 points, largely from the audience vote. The result sparked mixed reactions, with some fans expressing disapproval. Romania's Alexandra Capitanescu took third place with 296 points for her divisive song Choke Me.
Full Results
- Bulgaria - 516
- Israel - 343
- Romania - 296
- Australia - 287
- Italy - 281
- Finland - 279
- Denmark - 243
- Moldova - 226
- Ukraine - 221
- Greece - 220
- France - 158
- Poland - 150
- Albania - 145
- Norway - 134
- Croatia - 124
- Czechia - 113
- Serbia - 90
- Malta - 89
- Cyprus - 75
- Sweden - 51
- Belgium - 36
- Lithuania - 22
- Germany - 12
- Austria - 6
- United Kingdom - 1
Controversy and Boycotts
The contest was marked by significant controversy. Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain (part of the Big Five) withdrew in protest over Israel's participation, citing the war in Gaza. Iceland and the Netherlands still broadcast the event. The absent contenders announced a boycott after Israel's participation was confirmed in December, leading to what reports describe as the largest protest since 1970.
Israel's Rule Breach
Israel faced a warning from Eurovision bosses before the semi-finals for breaking rules. Broadcaster KAN was reprimanded for promotional videos on social media where Bettan encouraged viewers to vote for him in multiple languages. Eurovision Executive Director Martin Green confirmed the delegation was asked to stop distribution and remove the videos, which they did.
UK's Poor Performance
The United Kingdom, represented by Sam Battle (Look Mum No Computer) with his techno tune Eins, Zwei, Drei, received just one point from Ukraine in the jury vote and zero from the audience, placing last. Despite low expectations, Sam remained in high spirits, clapping for other artists.
Future Implications
Eurovision fans await whether Israel will be allowed to return in 2027 amid ongoing pressure on the EBU. The organization, which banned Russia in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine, has faced criticism for not banning Israel. Speculation suggests that sponsor Moroccanoil, an Israeli brand, may influence the decision.
