The first Semi-Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 takes place on Tuesday 12 May at 8pm BST. Fifteen countries will compete for one of ten spots in the Grand Final on Saturday 16 May. The pre-qualified countries Italy and Germany performed and voted in this Semi-Final, with Italy's Sal Da Vinci singing 'Per Sempre Sì' and Germany's Sarah Engels performing 'Fire'. Viewers in the UK could not vote during this Semi-Final.
The show opened with a film titled '70 Years of Love', depicting a couple's life against the backdrop of Eurovision history. A 70-member choir then paid tribute to 'L’amour Est Bleu', a classic Eurovision hit from when Vienna first hosted the contest in 1967. The interval act featured hosts Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski in a light-hearted musical performance, joined by Go-Jo, who represented Australia in 2025.
Rylan and Angela Scanlon presented the Semi-Final on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, while Sara Cox hosted on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. Live Audio Description and British Sign Language interpretation were available. The second Semi-Final follows on Thursday 14 May, with the UK able to vote in that show.
