Eurovision 2026: The Semifinal Lineup. Sal Da Vinci's Schedule and the Countries' Order

The Euro Vision Song Contest 2026 comes to life with the two semi-finals of Tuesday 12 e Thursday May 14, live from Wiener Stadthalle in ViennaThe evenings will serve to choose the countries that will access the final of Saturday May 16, where Italy will already be present with Sal Da Vinci and the song Forever Yes.

The Neapolitan singer, winner of the 2026 Festival of Sanremo, will also perform in the first semi-final on May 12, but out of the race, because Italy is among the countries automatically qualified for the final. Its performance will take place between Georgia and Finland, in a highly visible spot on the schedule, before the entrance of one of the nations listed as among the most anticipated of the evening.

When will Sal Da Vinci sing at Eurovision 2026?

Sal Da Vinci will sing in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2026 on Tuesday 12 May, but his performance will be out of the competition.The representative of Italy will present Forever Yes to the European public without participating in the selection of the ten finalists of the evening, because his place in the final on Saturday 16 May is already guaranteed.

The placement in the lineup is precise: Sal Da Vinci will perform after the Georgia and before the Finland, therefore between the sixth and seventh countries competing in the first semifinal. However, its passage should not be confused with a competing position, because Italy appears to be only an automatic finalist this evening.

The most useful answer for those who want to follow him is this: Sal Da Vinci will be seen on May 12th in the semi-final as a preview out of competition and will return on May 16th in the final, when Italy will really compete for the result.

The song did not require any changes in length, as it falls within the three-minute limit set by Eurovision. However, for the Vienna stage, changes to the choreography were announced, with the presence of dancers led by Frances Touch, a detail that makes the performance different from the simple Sanremo re-enactment.

Why shouldn't Italy advance to the semi-finals?

Italy does not have to go through the semi-finals because it automatically qualifies for the Eurovision Song Contest final.From 2024, the automatic finalist countries will still be able to perform in the semi-finals, even though they will not be subject to the vote for access to the final evening.

In 2026, in addition to Italy, there will also be out-of-competition performances France, Germany and the United Kingdom, together withAustria, Host country. Spain, however, is not among the countries in the semifinals, according to the source, because it boycotted the event in protest against Israel's participation.

The mechanism is simple: in the semi-finals the countries that have to win a place in the final compete, while Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Austria use those evenings to present the songs that have already qualified..

For Italian audiences, the distinction is crucial: Sal Da Vinci will be on stage on May 12th, but the votes and semifinal qualifications will not affect Italy. The real competition for Per Sempre Sì will be Saturday, May 16th, when the final rankings will be announced.

What is the schedule for the first semifinal on May 12?

The first semi-final of Eurovision 2026 takes place on Tuesday 12 May and sees 15 countries competing, with the aim of selecting ten finalists. The evening opens with the Moldova and it closes with the Serbia, while Italy and Germany are included in the lineup as out-of-competition performances.

The official running order is important not only for organizing the viewing experience, but also because the running order can influence the audience's perception. A song heard in the second half of the evening, or near a highly anticipated moment, can leave a deeper impression than one played at the beginning.

The lineup for the first semi-final is as follows:

• Moldova: Satoshi – Long live, Moldova!
• Sweden: FELICIA – My System
• Croatia: LELEK – Andromeda
• Greece: Akylas – Ferto
• Portugal: Bandidos do Cante – Rosa
• Georgia: Bzikebi – On Replay
• Italy Sal Da Vinci – Forever Yes, out-of-competition performance
• Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin
• Montenegro: Tamara Živković – Nova Zora
• Estonia: Vanilla Ninja – Too Epic To Be True
• Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle
• Germany: Sarah Engels – Fire, out-of-competition performance
• Belgium: ESSYLA – Dancing on the Ice
• Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – Only Quiero Más
• San Marino: SENHIT – Superstar
• Poland: ALICJA – Pray
• Serbia: LAVINA – Kraj Mene

The most sought-after data by Italians remains Sal Da Vinci's position: the singer appears in the first semi-final after Georgia and before Finland, but his passage does not affect the selection of the ten qualified countries..

Which countries are most anticipated in the first semi-final?

In the first semi-final, attention is especially high on Finland and Croatia, indicated among the most watched nations on the eve, but the evening also features other names capable of attracting the public and curiosity. Finland arrives with the duo Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen, while Croatia deploys WAILING with Andromeda.

Then there is San Marino, represented by SENHIT with Superstar, a name highly recognizable even to Italian audiences. Sal Da Vinci's appearance as an out-of-competition performer adds further interest to those watching the semifinal on Rai, as the Italian singer will be one of the most anticipated moments of the evening, even though he's not among the contestants up for vote.

The first semi-final therefore has a double level of interpretation: on the one hand the real competition between 15 countries for ten places in the final, on the other the performances of the automatic finalists, including Italy, which serve to build expectations towards Saturday..

For those who follow Eurovision with strategic attention, Italy's placement before Finland is not irrelevant from a television perspective: it places Sal Da Vinci in a central part of the evening, close to one of the most anticipated performances.

What is the schedule for the second semifinal on May 14?

The second semi-final of Eurovision 2026 takes place on Thursday 14 May and includes 15 more competing countries, in addition to the out-of-competition performances by France, Austria, and the United Kingdom. Again, ten nations will advance to the final on Saturday, May 16.

The evening opens with the Bulgaria and it closes with the NorwayAmong the most observed countries are Denmark e Australia, indicated among the proposals expected in the second half of the competition.

The lineup for the second semifinal is as follows:

• Bulgaria: DARA – Bangaranga
• Azerbaijan: JIVA – Just Go
• Romania: Alexandra Căpitănescu – Choke Me
• Luxembourg: Eva Marija – Mother Nature
• Czechia: Daniel Zizka – CROSSROADS
• France: Monroe – Look!, out-of-competition performance
• Armenian: SIMÓN – Paloma Rumba
• Switzerland: Veronica Fusaro – Alice
• Cyprus: Antigoni – JALLA
• Austria: COSMÓ – Tanzschein, out-of-competition performance
• Latvia: Atvara – Ēnā
• Denmark: Søren Torpegaard Lund – Før Vi Går Hjem
• Australia: Delta Goodrem – Eclipse
• Ukraine: LELÉKA – Ridnym
• UK: LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER – One, Two, Three, Out-of-Competition Performance
• Albania: Alis – Nân
• Malt: AIDAN – Beautiful
• Norway: JONAS LOVV – YA YA YA

The second semi-final does not include Italy, because Sal Da Vinci performs on the first evening and then directly in the final on May 16thAnyone wishing to follow the Italian route should therefore focus primarily on May 12th and 16th.

How many countries reach the final?

A total of 25 countries will qualify for the Eurovision 2026 final., according to the scheme indicated by the available sources: ten qualified from the first semi-final, ten qualified from the second semi-final and five countries already automatic finalists. In this edition, the automatic finalists considered are: Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Austria, host country.

The system makes the semifinals decisive for the thirty competing countries, while the automatic finalists use those evenings as an early showcase. This is why audiences will see Sal Da Vinci as early as May 12th, even knowing that Italy is not at risk of elimination.

The formula to remember is: 20 countries advance from the semi-finals, 5 are already in the final, for a total of 25 participants on the final evening of Saturday 16 May..

The final lineup, however, hasn't yet matched the semifinals. The final night's running order will be announced after the qualifiers, when the finalist countries are complete. Only then will it be known which position Sal Da Vinci will sing in the decisive match.

Where to watch the Eurovision 2026 semi-finals?

The semi-finals of Eurovision 2026 will be broadcast on Rai 2 on Tuesday 12 and Thursday 14 May, in prime time., with live broadcast also on RaiPlay and radio coverage on RaiRadio2The final on Saturday 16 May will be broadcast on Rai 1, always in prime time, as well as on streaming and radio.

Rai will follow the event with live commentary Gabriel Courses ed Elettra lamborghini, while the radio commentary on Radio2 Eurovision will be entrusted to Diletta Parlangeli e Matteo Osso, with Martina Martorano sent from Vienna. The international conduction of the 70th edition will be by victoria swarovski e Michael Ostrowski.

To see Sal Da Vinci, there are two dates to mark: Tuesday 12 May on Rai 2 for the out-of-competition performance and Saturday 16 May on Rai 1 for the real Italian final..

Rai's coverage also includes accessibility tools: the semi-finals and final will be subtitled and audio-described, while the final will also be available with translation into Italian Sign Language on a dedicated RaiPlay channel.

Why does the setlist matter so much at Eurovision?

The Eurovision setlist matters because the order of performances can impact audience memory and perception of the performances., although it doesn't determine the outcome on its own. RAI, citing the statistical value of the running order, points out that over the past fifteen years, the countries placed last in the semi-finals have often had a good chance of qualifying, while the second half of the lineup tends to be more easily remembered.

This doesn't mean that those who sing early are doomed or that those who sing late are automatically favored. Eurovision remains a competition built on song, staging, identity, voice, televoting, juries, and emotional impact. However, the order can help or complicate the process, especially when many songs are performed on the same night.

The running order is not a simple technical list: it is a television direction that alternates genres, rhythms, countries and strong moments, trying to keep the attention high and to give the race a readable progression..

For Sal Da Vinci, the position in the first semifinal is primarily intended to introduce Italy to the European public. The real unknown will be the final position, which will be decided only after the semifinals are concluded.