Bulgaria has won the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, securing its first victory in the 70-year history of the competition. Singer Dara, 27, triumphed with the song Bangaranga, a pulsating party anthem inspired by the ancient Bulgarian ritual of kukeri. The contest took place in Vienna, Austria, which hosted the event for the third time after JJ's victory last year.
The UK finished last with Look Mum No Computer, performed by Sam Battle. The song, Eins, Zwei, Drei, received nul point in the public vote, failing to make the top ten in any voting country. This continues a string of poor results for the UK, with the exception of Sam Ryder's Space Man in 2022.
Five countries boycotted the event over Israel's participation amid ongoing attacks in Gaza. Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland all declined to participate after the European Broadcasting Union changed voting rules but allowed Israeli broadcaster Kan to compete. About 2,000 people protested against Israel's inclusion in Vienna city centre on Saturday.
Israel's entry, a romantic pop song performed by Noam Bettan, came second after a strong public vote. The voting rules were changed this year, allowing fans to cast ten individual votes instead of 20, and voting for the same act ten times was permitted.
Bulgaria's win spares organisers a major headache over hosting the 2027 edition, as a second-place finish for Israel would have raised difficult questions. The grand final featured 25 countries, with Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania returning after absences.
