Australia and Denmark Advance to Eurovision 2026 Grand Final
Australian star Delta Goodrem and Danish singer Soren Torpegaard Lund advanced from the second semi-final on May 14, 2026, in Vienna. They join 23 other acts in Saturday's grand final of the 70th edition of the contest. The semi-final included a defense of Eurovision's support for the LGBTQ community amid a five-nation boycott over Israel's participation.
rnz.co.nzDelta Goodrem advanced with the ballad "Eclipse" while Danish artist Lund progressed with the club-themed "For Vi Gar Hjem" ("Before We Go Home"). The second semi-final brought the total number of finalists to 25. They include acts from Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Israel, Malta, Norway, Romania and Ukraine along with those already qualified from the first semi-final.
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The semi-finals were decided by a combination of public televoting and professional juries. While awaiting results on Thursday, the audience of more than 10,000 joined in a mass Viennese waltz after performances that included Bulgarian pop singer Dara's choreographed "Bangaranga" and Romania's rock track "Choke Me."
A pre-filmed segment during the broadcast addressed questions about the contest's embrace of the LGBTQ community. Presenter Victoria Swarovski reviewed the contest's history of inclusion.
Goodrem, 41, who achieved international pop success in the early 2000s, performed atop a glittering piano before rising on a platform as sparks fell from above. Lund, 27, a musical theatre performer, will open Saturday's final. Finland enters as the overall favorite according to bookmakers with its song "Liekinheitin" ("Flamethrower").
The contest typically draws more than 150 million viewers worldwide.
Australia has competed by invitation since 2015. This year's contest marks the 70th edition of the competition, to be held on Saturday at the Wiener Stadthalle.
