Ten down, ten to go! Tonight is the second semi-final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, so that means it’s time once again for our editors to make their predictions for which ten countries will make it through to the grand final.

It was a mixed performance for our team on Tuesday night, with Martin picking nine of the qualifiers and Felix getting seven right. Let’s see how they do this time! We’ll start with the predictions themselves, in running order:

Martin: Bulgaria, Romania, Czechia, Latvia, Denmark, Australia, Ukraine, Albania, Malta, Norway.

Felix: Bulgaria, Romania, Czechia, Armenia, Cyprus, Latvia, Denmark, Australia, Ukraine, Malta.

Like on Tuesday, they agree on eight of the qualifiers. Not always with great confidence: Martin feels that Malta should be a borderliner at best, but the reappearance of the juries in the semi-finals will see them over the line, while Felix isn’t totally convinced about Czechia’s chances. Notably, they both have Latvia in their lists, believing that a simply executed song and performance should stand out enough in a field of big and flashy visuals.

They also agree on three non-qualifiers: doomed Azerbaijan, charming but insubstantial Luxembourg, and (in a move that really pains Martin since it’s his second favourite this year) Switzerland, whose staging is A Lot, and not in a way that benefits the song.

Where they differ: Martin has Armenia out based on the weakness of the song, while Felix has Armenia in based on the strength of the performance – Parg last year showed that an effective staging can carry a previously under-the-radar Armenian entry to the final, after all. The opposite is true for Norway, where it’s Martin who feels the performance (and the running order) will be more than enough for a song he really doesn’t care for at all.

Speaking of staging, Felix is being brave and leaving out one of his favourite ESC countries, Albania, on the grounds that the visual presentation with the massive face and the subtitles is just too much. Meanwhile, Martin thinks the Cypriot visuals are appropriate for the entry, but Antigoni’s shaky and exposed vocals will sink its chances.

That’s what we think – what about you?

Wherever you’re watching the show tonight, and whatever your level of engagement with the contest at this hectic time in its history, we hope you have a wonderful evening. And don’t forget you can join our #esc chat and talk to other Eurovision fans before, during and after the show!