Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 for the first time in its history, with singer Dara taking victory in the competition held in Vienna, Austria.
The 27-year-old singer won with her song ‘Bangaranga,’ a club track featuring elaborate choreography, earning a total of 516 points from juries and viewers. Israel’s Noam Bettan came second with 343 points, while Romania’s Alexandra Căpitănescu finished third with 296 points.
Dara secured a decisive victory, finishing 173 points ahead of Israel — the largest winning margin in Eurovision history. The result also marked the first time since 2017 that both the jury and public vote agreed on the same winner.
This year’s contest was overshadowed by controversy surrounding Israel’s participation. Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia and the Netherlands withdrew from Eurovision in protest, creating what many described as the biggest crisis in the competition’s 70-year history.
“We will not be at Eurovision, but we will do so with the conviction of being on the right side of history,” Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, stated before the final.
Protests also took place outside the arena in Vienna, with some demonstrators criticizing Eurovision’s official slogan, ‘United by Music.’ Israel has denied accusations related to genocide in Gaza.
Despite tensions surrounding the event, the final continued with Eurovision’s traditional mix of pop, dance, ballads and theatrical performances. Australia’s Delta Goodrem finished fourth, while Finland, one of the bookmakers’ favorites, placed sixth.
Georgia was represented this year by Bzikebi. The group failed to qualify for the grand final.
Following tradition, next year’s Eurovision Song Contest is expected to be hosted in Bulgaria following the country’s historic win.
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Georgia’s Bzikebi out of Eurovision 2026 final after semi-final exit
