50 Fun Facts About Eurovision Song Contest

Which organisation has run the Eurovision Song Contest since 1956?

The word 'Eurovision' was coined by British journalist George Campey in the Evening Standard in 1951.

Eurovision was modelled on an Italian song competition held since 1951 in which town?

The idea was first proposed by RAI manager Sergio Pugliese.

In which Swiss city was the first Eurovision Song Contest held in 1956?

Only seven countries took part, each with two songs — the only time multiple entries per country were allowed.

Who won the very first Eurovision in 1956, singing 'Refrain' for the host country?

The voting was held behind closed doors, and only the winner was announced.

How many countries competed in the first contest in 1956?

By the 1960s between 16 and 18 countries were taking part every year.

Which two countries were tied on a record seven Eurovision wins each at the end of 2025?

France, Luxembourg, the UK and the Netherlands followed with five each.

Which country has competed in Eurovision more times than any other, missing only one edition?

It has only won twice, in 1982 and 2010.

The theme played over the EBU ident before every Eurovision broadcast is the prelude to which piece?

It is the network logo ident, not the contest's own logo.

How long may a competing Eurovision song last?

A maximum of six people are allowed on stage, and no live animals.

What is the maximum number of performers allowed on stage for a Eurovision entry?

Groups were only allowed at all from 1971; the first contest permitted solo singers only.

Under the points system, what is the maximum score one country can award another?

The famous 'douze points' is announced in French as well as English.

In which year was the contest cancelled for the only time in its history?

A non-competitive special, Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light, was broadcast instead.

Which five countries automatically qualify for the final as the contest's biggest financial contributors?

The host country also skips the semi-finals.

Which country qualified for every Eurovision final it entered from 2004 through 2025?

Ukraine won on only its second appearance, in 2004.

In which year did semi-finals first appear at Eurovision?

In the 1990s the overflow was handled by relegating the worst-performing countries.

In which year did four countries tie for first place and were all declared winners?

Spain, the UK, the Netherlands and France shared the win in Madrid.

Which of these was one of the four joint winners in 1969?

Austria stayed away that year, reportedly refusing to compete in Franco's Spain.

ABBA won Eurovision for Sweden in 1974 in which English seaside town?

The song's title uses the 1815 battle as a metaphor for surrender.

Céline Dion won Eurovision in 1988 representing which country?

The winning song was 'Ne partez pas sans moi'.

Which future superstar came fourth for Spain in 1970?

Olivia Newton-John also placed fourth, for the UK in 1974, the year ABBA won.

Which winning song holds the record for sales, over six million singles?

'Waterloo' sold over five million.

Which is the only Eurovision entry ever to win a Grammy Award?

It won the first-ever Grammys for Record and Song of the Year and topped the Billboard Hot 100.

Who was the first performer to win Eurovision twice, in 1980 and 1987?

He also wrote Linda Martin's 1992 winner 'Why Me?', giving him three wins in all.

Loreen became the first woman to win Eurovision twice. Which two songs did she win with?

'Euphoria' became the most downloaded Eurovision song of its era.

Which country had finished last a record 12 times by the end of Eurovision 2025?

Norway shares four 'nul points' finishes with Austria, and has also won three times, most recently with Alexander Rybak in 2009.

Which country had finished second a record 16 times by the end of Eurovision 2025?

The UK's five wins came in 1967, 1969, 1976, 1981 and 1997.

Which is the only country to have won Eurovision three years in a row?

Ireland then won again in 1996, four wins in five years.

Riverdance began life as what at the 1994 contest in Dublin?

The seven-minute piece was later expanded into a full stage show.

Which country was the first to win on its debut appearance as an independent nation, in 2007?

Marija Šerifović won with 'Molitva'.

Portugal waited a record 53 years for its first win, which came in 2017 with which singer?

His 758 points remain the highest total ever for a winner; the song was written by his sister Luísa.

Alexander Rybak's 'Fairytale' set what record in 2009?

Rybak is also the only artist to have won two semi-finals, in 2009 and 2018.

Finland's only Eurovision win came in 2006 with which monster-masked rock band?

It ended a 45-year Finnish losing streak.

Conchita Wurst won for Austria in 2014 with which song?

It was Austria's first win since 1966, a gap of 48 years.

Dana International, the contest's first trans winner, won for Israel in 1998 with which song?

The 1998 contest was held in Birmingham.

Bucks Fizz won for the UK in 1981 with a routine famous for what?

The group had been formed in January 1981 purely to enter 'Making Your Mind Up' in the contest.

Katrina and the Waves won Eurovision for the UK in 1997 with which song?

The song was written by guitarist Kimberley Rew, who also wrote 'Walking on Sunshine'.

Who was the first UK entrant to win Eurovision, in 1967?

The song was 'Puppet on a String', and she famously performed barefoot.

Which Italian rock band won in 2021 with 'Zitti e buoni'?

The band had come second on Italy's X Factor in 2017.

Duncan Laurence's 2019 winner 'Arcade' later became the first Eurovision winner since 1976 to do what?

It went viral on TikTok in late 2020, over a year after its win.

The 2022 contest was won by 'Stefania', performed by which folk-hip-hop group?

Because of the Russian invasion, the 2023 contest was staged by the BBC in Liverpool on Ukraine's behalf.

Which UK city hosted the 2023 contest on behalf of the previous year's winner?

Loreen won that night with 'Tattoo'.

Nemo, who won in 2024 with 'The Code', was the first winner to be openly what?

Nemo returned the trophy in 2026 in protest at Israel's continued participation.

Nemo's win took the 2025 contest to which city, the host country's third time staging it?

It was Switzerland's third time hosting, after 1956 and 1989.

Who won Eurovision 2025 for Austria with 'Wasted Love'?

It was Austria's third win, after 1966 and 2014.

Australia first competed at Eurovision in which year, invited as a 'one-off' for the 60th edition?

SBS was invited back the next year and has taken part every year since.

Which is the only Arab state ever to have entered Eurovision, competing once in 1980?

Israel had won the two previous contests and sat out 1980.

Which country from the Americas was announced as a Eurovision debutant for 2027?

It would be only the second country from outside the European Broadcasting Area, after Australia.

Until 1998, what accompanied every competing act at Eurovision?

Pre-recorded backing tracks were first allowed in 1973.

In which year was the rule requiring countries to sing in a native language abolished?

The Netherlands' 2019 and Portugal's 2017 winners are among the exceptions.

Which 1970 winner later ran twice for her country's presidency and served as an MEP?

Ukraine's 2004 winner Ruslana became a member of parliament and a figure in the Orange Revolution.