Bulgaria has won the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, securing its first victory in the 70-year history of the competition. Singer Dara triumphed with the song 'Bangaranga', a pulsating party anthem inspired by the ancient Bulgarian ritual of kukeri. The 27-year-old described the track as 'pop music with folklore bones'. The contest was held in Vienna, Austria, after JJ won for the country in 2025.
The UK finished last with 'Look Mum No Computer', performed by Sam Battle. The song 'Eins, Zwei, Drei' received nul points from the public vote and failed to place in the top ten in any voting country. This continues a trend of poor results for the UK, with the exception of Sam Ryder's second place in 2022.
Israel's entry, 'Michelle' performed by Noam Bettan, came second after a strong public vote. The result spared organisers a potential headache over hosting the 2027 edition, had Israel won. The 70th anniversary event was marred by the absence of five nations—Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland—who boycotted over Israel's participation amid the Gaza conflict. Around 2,000 protesters gathered in Vienna against Israel's inclusion.
Voting rules were changed this year, allowing fans ten individual votes per person, down from 20, and barring voting for one's own country. The EBU had faced concerns about state-sponsored promotion of Israeli acts on social media. During the jury vote presentation, Israel's representative appeared to reference last year's voting controversy, stating he already knew the winner.
Earlier, Israeli broadcaster KAN apologised for mocking Croatian group Lelek's traditional makeup, comparing it to 'henna tattoos in Eilat'. Lelek's song 'Andromeda' centred on Catholic resistance to the Ottoman Empire, with makeup featuring sicanje, a folk tattooing custom.
