Bulgaria's DARA wins Eurovision 2026

DARA gave Bulgaria its first Eurovision Song Contest victory on May 17, winning the 2026 final in Vienna with “Bangaranga.” The European Broadcasting Union, which runs the contest, said the singer won the 70th edition for Bulgarian broadcaster BNT. AP photographs published on May 19 showed her back in Sofia, greeting and performing for fans after the result. Moldova’s Eurovision fallout also continued on May 19, when public broadcaster chief Vlad Țurcan resigned after criticism of the Moldovan jury’s vote for Romania. ### How big is this win for Bulgaria? The European Broadcasting Union said DARA’s victory was Bulgaria’s first ever in Eurovision. That matters because Bulgaria has competed in the contest for years without winning the final, and the result gives BNT the right to stage the next edition under Eurovision’s usual hosting arrangement. Vienna hosted the 2026 contest at the Wiener Stadthalle, where DARA’s performance of “Bangaranga” secured the title in the competition’s 70th year. (ebu.ch) Eurovision World and other contest coverage also identified Bulgaria as the 2027 host in waiting, subject to the broadcaster’s preparations. ### What do we know about “Bangaranga”? The EBU named “Bangaranga” as the winning song in its official announcement on May 17. (ebu.ch) Rolling Stone and Radio Times also identified the track as the song that carried Bulgaria to the title, describing DARA as the surprise winner of the final. AP photography from Sofia on May 19 showed DARA appearing before fans in downtown Sofia after the win. (ebu.ch) Bulgarian state news agency BTA separately reported that she returned from Vienna on May 18 and was met at Sofia airport by Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, BNT officials and fans. ### What happened in Moldova after the final? Vlad Țurcan resigned on May 19 as head of Moldova’s public broadcaster after criticism of the national jury vote in the Eurovision final. RTÉ, citing AFP, reported that the row centered on Moldova’s jury giving Romania three points, prompting criticism in both Moldova and Romania. The Guardian reported that the dispute fed accusations of “neighbourhood voting,” a recurring Eurovision complaint about whether countries favor allies and neighbors. (alamy.com) PinkNews and other outlets reported that Țurcan said the broadcaster had distanced itself from the jury’s vote, but he accepted responsibility as head of the institution. (rte.ie) ### Was there any wider controversy around the result? Euronews reported on May 19 that viral social media posts claiming the contest had been secretly fixed in Finland’s favor were false. The outlet said the posts traced back to a fabricated story about a security guard and did not reflect the official result, which left Bulgaria on top. The official result, as published by the EBU, remains that DARA won Eurovision 2026 for Bulgaria with “Bangaranga.” AP’s May 19 images from Sofia showed the immediate public celebration that followed. (thepinknews.com) ### What happens next for Eurovision? BNT is now the broadcaster expected to organize Eurovision 2027 after Bulgaria’s win, following the contest’s standard host-country handover. (ebu.ch) The EBU’s May 17 announcement formally recorded the victory for BNT, which is the key institutional step before host-city and scheduling decisions are made. Any next announcements are likely to come from the EBU and BNT, which typically confirm the host city and production timetable in the months after the final. (ebu.ch) For now, the concrete markers are set: DARA won on May 17 in Vienna, returned to Sofia by May 19, and Bulgaria moves to the front of the line for Eurovision 2027.