According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country, the "Big 4" (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom) and the ten highest placed finishers in the 2005 contest are required to qualify from the semi-final in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from the semi-final progress to the final. On 21 March 2006, a special allocation draw was held which determined the running order for the semi-final on 18 May 2006. Belarus was drawn to perform in position 5, following the entry from Andorra and before the entry from Albania. At the end of the semi-final, Belarus was not announced among the top 10 entries in the semi-final and therefore failed to qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that the Belarus placed twenty-second in the semi-final, receiving a total of 10 points.