“Eurovision 2026”: Who are the contest favorites and what are Ukraine's chances of winning
Kyiv • UNN
The 70th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Vienna from May 12 to 16. Ukraine will be represented by Leleka, while Finland is currently the bookmakers' top favorite.
As early as Tuesday, May 12, the 70th anniversary Eurovision Song Contest 2026 kicks off in the Austrian capital, Vienna. Ukraine will be represented by the performer Leleka with the composition "Ridnym," who is already in Vienna. UNN reports on when and where to watch the contest's semi-finals, as well as who the bookmakers' favorites are.
Eurovision 2026 - when the contest will take place
The 70th anniversary Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Vienna, Austria, as the representative of this country won last year. The favorite of the contest, which took place in Switzerland, was Johannes Pietsch, known by the pseudonym JJ, with the song "Wasted Love."
The first two semi-finals will take place on Tuesday, May 12, and Thursday, May 14. The grand final of the contest will be held in Vienna at the largest multifunctional concert and sports complex, the Wiener Stadthalle, on Saturday, May 16. Notably, the arena previously hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 but has since undergone a multi-million dollar reconstruction.
Austria first hosted Eurovision in 1967, also in Vienna.
Who represents Ukraine at Eurovision 2026
On February 7, the final of the National Selection for Eurovision 2026 took place. The victory was won by the performer Leleka with the composition "Ridnym."
The winner's song conveys a message of hope and inner strength, showing a path to renewal that begins with the realization of change and facing one's fears.
Even when the world around seems devastated and turns to dust, a strength remains within a person that leads to a new life. The composition emphasizes faith in the healing power of nature and its ability to support, as well as the fact that roots do not die even in the most difficult times.
On May 3, the performer set off for Vienna for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest.
Leleka will perform in the second semi-final on May 14, in a look created by designer Lilia Litkovskaya and the team of stylist Margarita Shekel. In creating the outfit, the team was inspired by the poems of Lesya Ukrainka.
The central element of the look is a woven corset made of eight types of fabrics, mostly natural: silk, viscose, and silk organza. Its creation took about 20 meters of fabric, as well as hours of manual labor by seamstresses.
"This costume is about a confession. I wanted the viewer to see how the dress grows through the song, where every element is a personal symbol woven into the canvas of the performance. The 'stork wing' here is not accidental: it is a visualization of the artist's inner will and a reminder of how powerful our natural energy is when we allow ourselves to spread our shoulders,"
Eurovision 2026 favorites according to bookmakers' forecasts
As it was a month ago, the victory at Eurovision is predicted for Finland and the group Linda Lampenius & Pete Parkkonen with the song "Liekinheitin." Finland is given a record 38% chance of winning.
In second place is Greece and the singer Akylas with the composition "Ferto." Greece is given a 13% chance of winning.
In third place, according to bookmakers' forecasts, is Denmark with performer Søren Torpegaard Lund and the composition "Før vi går hjem." Denmark is given a 10% chance of winning.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has dropped from 9th to 11th place, and Leleka's victory is estimated at 2%, with a 92% chance of reaching the final of the contest.
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Where and when to watch Eurovision
The first semi-final starts on May 12 at 22:00 Kyiv time. You can watch it on several platforms: on the "Suspilne Kultura" and "Suspilne Eurovision" websites, the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel, on Megogo, and you can listen to it on Radio Promin.
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