UK fans heading to the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna this weekend face a major disappointment as strict new rules ban homemade flags from the arena. Anyone travelling to the contest with a colourful banner to support UK entry Look Mum No Computer must prove their flag meets fire safety regulations, or it will be confiscated.
New Fire Safety Regulations
The restrictions have been introduced following the tragic New Year's Eve fire at a Swiss ski resort in Crans-Montana, where 41 people died and over 100 were injured after foam on the ceiling ignited. To prevent a similar disaster, Oeticket, the official ticket distributor for Eurovision, has implemented new health and safety measures. These rules apply to the grand final on Saturday as well as the two semi-finals being held tonight and on Thursday.
A source said: "We know fans often spend a lot of time making banners to wave hoping they will be seen on TV by millions. But this year it is all-change. Unless they have proof that it won't catch fire then it will be taken off them."
Official Flags Sold Out
One way to bypass the draconian regulations is to pre-order an approved official UK flag from the Eurovision shop in the arena, which also stocks flags from all other competing countries. However, as you might suspect at this late stage, they have all sold out. Only the super-organised fans who ordered in advance will have managed to secure one.
Oeticket explained in a statement: "Flags may only be brought to the ESC shows if fans can present certificates for the prescribed fire safety standards upon entry to the Vienna Stadthalle."
Political Implications
The move to drastically reduce the number of flags, and only allow those that are approved, could also be a way to prevent problems arising from tensions between Palestine and Israel. Last year, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) updated its flag policy to overturn a ban on audience members waving flags from non-competing countries. Under the new policy, spectators in Basel, Switzerland, were allowed to wave any flag permitted under Swiss law, making space for Palestinian banners to appear on camera during the grand final. Previously, long-standing rules prevented flags of non-competing countries and territories. However, in 2024, Sweden's contestant Eric Saade discreetly wore a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, during the semi-finals in Malmo.
UK Entry and Broadcast Details
The UK entry Look Mum No Computer, whose real name is Sam Battle, hopes to win votes with his song Eins Zwei Drei. The musician and inventor said he thought it would be fun to write a song with a German title. He explained: "It is a very Eurovision idea of kind of trying to remind everyone that we are still in Europe. The UK is still in Europe. People are around the corner and Germany is just up the road and you can pop to Italy for a bit of pepperoni. It just feels like a fun concept and I just rolled with it and then the verse is very English because I talk about roly poly and how you like it most of the time but you want a bit of a change. It's just a bit of fun."
Last year's UK entry Remember Monday came 19th with 88 points. The final of Eurovision, with hosts Graham Norton, Rylan Clark, and Angela Scanlon, airs on BBC1 on Saturday from 8pm.
