The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced a major overhaul of the Eurovision Song Contest’s voting framework, introducing a package of measures it says will reinforce "trust, transparency and audience engagement" ahead of the 2026 Contest in Vienna.
The changes follow an extensive consultation with EBU Members after the 2025 Contest, including an in-depth independent review of participation commissioned by the EBU Executive Board. That review involved Directors General from participating broadcasters and other global event organizers, and its recommendations were aligned with feedback from Heads of Delegation.
“We’ve listened and we’ve acted”, said Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest.
“The neutrality and integrity of the Eurovision Song Contest is of paramount importance to the EBU, its Members, and all our audiences. It is essential that the fairness of the Contest is always protected."
“We are taking clear and decisive steps to ensure the contest remains a celebration of music and unity. The Contest should remain a neutral space and must not be instrumentalized”.
“Alongside the changes we are announcing today, we will also strengthen enforcement of our existing rules to prevent any misuse of the Contest for example through song lyrics or staging. And we will work closely with Members to ensure they fully understand and are also accountable for upholding the rules and values that define the Song Contest.”
A central plank of the package is a tighter framework around promotion. The Voting Instructions and Code of Conduct, which all participating broadcasters must follow, are being reinforced to protect the Contest from attempts to unfairly influence the vote. The updated instructions support normal promotion of artists and songs “which is very much part of the professional music industry,” but “discourage disproportionate promotion campaigns… particularly when undertaken or supported by third parties, including governments or governmental agencies.” Broadcasters and artists will not be allowed to engage in, facilitate or contribute to third-party campaigns that could influence the outcome, and the Code of Conduct makes clear that any attempts to unduly influence results will lead to sanctions.
From 2026, the EBU is also halving the maximum number of votes per payment method (online, SMS and phone) from 20 to 10. Fans will be encouraged to distribute their votes across more entries rather than concentrating support on a smaller number of songs.
In a significant structural shift, professional juries of music experts will return to the Semi-Finals for the first time since 2022, restoring an approximate 50/50 split between jury and audience voting in line with the Grand Final. The move is intended to “encourage the optimum musical balance and diversity” among qualifiers, ensuring entries with broad artistic merit are recognized alongside those with strong popular appeal. The number of jurors per country will increase from 5 to 7, and eligibility will be widened to include music journalists and critics, music teachers, creative professionals such as choreographers and stage directors, and experienced music industry figures. To better reflect Eurovision’s younger audience, each jury will include at least two members aged 18–25.
All jurors will be required to sign a formal declaration confirming that they will vote independently and impartially, will not coordinate with other jurors before the Contest, and will be mindful of their social media use – including not sharing their preferences online before the Contest concludes.
On the technical side, the EBU will continue working with its voting partner Once to expand what it describes as advanced security systems, designed to detect and prevent fraudulent or coordinated voting and to strengthen monitoring of suspicious patterns in the televote.
“These measures are designed to keep the focus where it belongs – on music, creativity and connection,” added Martin Green. “While we are confident the 2025 Contest delivered a valid and robust result, these changes will help provide stronger safeguards and increase engagement so fans can be sure that every vote counts and every voice is heard", he says, believing that "the Eurovision Song Contest must always remain a place where music takes centre stage – and where we continue to stand truly United by Music.”
All updates have been approved by the Eurovision Song Contest’s Reference Group, which represents all participating broadcasters. Their impact will be monitored and reviewed after the 2026 Contest and could inform further improvements.
EBU Members meeting at the General Assembly at the beginning of December will now be asked to consider the package of measures and safeguards and decide if they sufficiently address their concerns, without holding a vote on participation itself. After the General Assembly, the EBU will work with Members to confirm their participation in the 2026 Contest. The full list of participating broadcasters is set to be revealed before Christmas.
The 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted by Austrian broadcaster ORF at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria, with shows on Tuesday 12, Thursday 14 and Saturday 16 May 2026. According to the EBU, the rebalanced voting will mean that, with the inclusion of the Rest of the World vote as the equivalent of one additional country, the audience will account for 50.7% of the result and juries for 49.3%.
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