Eurovision Semi-Final Two set for tonight (May 14) at 21:00 CET in Vienna

The Eurovision Song Contest’s second semi-final is due to begin at 21:00 CET on Thursday, May 14, at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, according to contest organisers and Eurovision-focused outlet Eurovoix. Fifteen countries are scheduled to compete for the final 10 places in Saturday’s Grand Final, completing the 26-song lineup for the 70th edition of the contest. Vienna is hosting Eurovision 2026 after Austria’s JJ won last year in Basel with “Wasted Love,” Eurovoix reported. The event is unfolding against renewed protests and broadcaster boycotts over Israel’s participation, according to Associated Press reporting carried by ABC News. ### Which countries are competing on Thursday night? Eurovoix reported that 15 entries are set to perform in the second semi-final on May 14. The running order published on April 2 lists Bulgaria’s DARA first and Norway’s Jonas Lovv last. Between them are Azerbaijan’s Jiva, Romania’s Alexandra Căpitănescu, Luxembourg’s Eva Marija, Czechia’s Daniel Zizka, Armenia’s Simón, Switzerland’s Veronica Fusaro, Cyprus’s Antigoni, Latvia’s Atvara, Denmark’s Søren Torpegaard Lund, Australia’s Delta Goodrem, Ukraine’s Leléka, Albania’s Alis and Malta’s Aidan. (eurovoix.com) The same running-order release said three automatically qualified countries will also appear during the show without competing in it. France’s Monroe performs in the first competitive break, Austria’s Cosmó appears in the middle break, and the United Kingdom’s Look Mum No Computer performs in the final break, Eurovoix said. (eurovoix.com) ### How many places are left in the Grand Final? Ten spots remain available from Thursday’s show. Eurovoix said the second semi-final will determine the remaining 10 finalists and that the qualifiers will draw their Grand Final running-order halves after the broadcast. Associated Press reported that 10 countries, including Israel and Finland, advanced from Tuesday’s first semi-final. (eurovoix.com) That leaves Thursday’s contest to complete the field for the May 16 final in Vienna. ### Why is Vienna hosting Eurovision again? Austria won the right to host after JJ’s victory in Basel in 2025, Eurovoix reported. (eurovoix.com) The outlet said Vienna was confirmed as host city in August and that the 2026 contest marks the 70th edition of Eurovision. Wiener Stadthalle previously staged the contest in 2015 and can accommodate up to 16,000 spectators, according to Eurovoix’s report on the January semi-final allocation draw. (abcnews.com) The same report said 35 countries were due to take part across the two semi-finals and the Grand Final. ### What is the format for deciding who advances? (eurovoix.com) January’s allocation draw determined which semi-final each country would enter and whether it would perform in the first or second half of the show, Eurovoix reported. Producers then set the exact running order after the songs were selected, a system the outlet said has been in place since 2013. (eurovoix.com) The five pre-qualified countries — France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and host Austria — were also drawn into one of the semi-finals to vote and perform, though they do not need to qualify, according to Eurovoix. Thursday’s show therefore mixes competing entries with interval appearances from automatic finalists. (eurovoix.com) ### What protests are surrounding this year’s contest? Associated Press reported on May 13 that alternative concerts and boycott campaigns were taking place across Europe over Israel’s participation. The report said five nations, including Spain and Ireland, were boycotting the contest as anger over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza drove protests tied to Eurovision week in Vienna and elsewhere. (eurovoix.com) The same report said activist groups organised a “United for Palestine” event in Brussels and quoted organiser Katrien De Ruysscher saying, “We have to create an alternative because the participation of Israel is problematic.” Associated Press also reported that the European Broadcasting Union tightened voting rules this year after allegations around support for Israel’s contestant at the 2025 contest in Basel. (abcnews.com) ### What happens after Thursday’s broadcast ends? Saturday, May 16, is the date of the Grand Final in Vienna, according to Eurovoix. Thursday night’s 10 qualifiers are expected to be announced after the second semi-final and then assigned to either the first or second half of the Grand Final running order, with the full draw order to follow. (eurovoix.com) (abcnews.com)