Australia Qualifies for Eurovision 2026 Grand Final

Delta Goodrem qualified Australia for the Eurovision 2026 grand final with a powerful performance in the second semi-final at the Stadthalle in Vienna on Thursday night. The 41-year-old singer stood before a glistening crescent moon, adorned in more than 7,000 Swarovski crystals, and delivered a note-perfect rendition of her power-ballad entry titled Eclipse.

Goodrem became the first Australian act to qualify for the Eurovision grand final since 2023.

She performed a short piano solo during the song, though the camera was unexpectedly obstructed at that moment, making it difficult to see her play the instrument. The performance climaxed with a key change as Goodrem was propelled into the air on a platform that rose from within the piano. There was wind, there was fire, there was Goodrem’s remarkable upper range.

The result was a refreshingly self-assured offering from Australia after a disappointing couple of years in the competition. Thirty-five countries are competing at Eurovision 2026, the lowest number since 2003. Fifteen of the 35 competing countries were represented by solo female performers.

Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands boycotted the 2026 competition, citing Israel’s participation in Eurovision and the Israeli government’s attacks on Gaza. Australia’s first appearance at Eurovision was in 2014 when Jessica Mauboy performed as an interval act during the semi-finals.

Last year Go-Jo represented Australia with the song Milkshake Man and did not progress to the grand final.

In 2025, Electric Fields represented Australia with the song One Milkali (One Blood) performed in Yankunytjatjara and also did not progress beyond the semi-final. ” This week Goodrem announced her seventh studio album, Pure, will be released on 6 November. The Eurovision 2026 song contest grand final will air on SBS On Demand from 5AM AEDT on Sunday 17 May.