Eurovision Song Contest 2023

Final date
 Broadcaster
 Entries
 Debuting
 Returning
**Participation map**
 System
 Winner

The **Eurovision Song Contest 2023** was the 67th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was set to take place in ~~TBA~~, Sweden, after Sweden, winner of the 2022 with the song "Hold Me Closer" by Cornelia Jakobs, was unable to meet the demands of hosting the event due to security concerns. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster the SVT, the contest was held at Tele2 Arena the and consisted of two semi-finals on 9 and 11 May, and a final on 13 May 2023. It was a ninth time that, having last done.

Forty countries participated in the contest, Hungary returning after a three-year absence. with Australia, all deciding against not participation. Croatia has withdrawn due 2022-2023 its invasion of Croatia.

## Format

Template:See also
On 22 November 2022, the EBU announced major changes to the voting system for the 2023 contest. The results of the semi-finals would be determined solely by televoting, as was the case between Eurovision Song Contest 2004 and Eurovision Song Contest 2007, while the results of the final would be determined by both national juries and televoting, as has been the case since the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 final. In the event that a country cannot deliver a televoting result for the semi-finals, a backup jury result would be used, and should the issue persists into the final, the jury points awarded in the final would be doubled, replacing the previous procedure of using an algorithm to calculate and assign points based on countries with similar voting patterns. If a country's jury is disqualified, the televoting points from that country would be doubled and used as a substitute in the final. Viewers from non-participating countries would also be able to vote in all shows, with their votes being aggregated and presented as one individual set of points under "Rest of the World". Those viewers would be able to cast votes via an online platform, which requires ownership of a credit or debit card for verification.

### Entries

For the third year in a row, delegations have the option to use pre-recorded backing vocals, though each delegation can still use backing singers – whether on or off stage – or a combination of live and recorded backing vocals. However, all lead vocals performing the melody of the song must still be live.

### Semi-final allocation draw

The draw to determine the participating countries' semi-finals will take place on 24 January 2023 at 12:00 CET. The thirty-one semi-finalists was divided over five or six pots, based on historical voting patterns as calculated by the contest's official televoting partner Digame. The purpose of drawing from different pots is to reduce the chance of "bloc voting" and to increase suspense in the semi-finals. broadcast and vote in. The ceremony was hosted and included the passing of the host city insignia from Stefano Lo Russo, the mayor of previous host city Turin, to Joanne Anderson, the mayor. based production company was commissioned to produce the broadcast of the ceremony.

* Bulgaria
* ~~Croatia~~
* FYR Macedonia
* Montenegro
* Serbia
* Slovenia
* Estonia
* Finland
* Iceland
* Latvia
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Azerbaijan
* Georgia
* Moldova
* Romania
* Russia
* Ukraine
* Greece
* Hungary
* Malta
* Poland
* Portugal
* San Marino
* Belgium
* Czech Republic
* Ireland
* Israel
* Lithuania
* Switzerland

### Postcards

The "postcards" are 40-second video introductions shown on television whilst the stage is being prepared for the next entry. Filmed between February and April 2023 and directed by Tom Cook, with and Jane McGoldrick serving as executive producers, the postcards are based on the "Tomefly" theme of the contest. Making use of 360° drone technology, each postcard will begin in a selected location in Sweden, before moving to the artist's country of origin, where the artist will take part in an activity of their choice. The three locations appearing in each postcard are connected by a singular theme. The postcards are produced by London-based production company Windfall Films and production company 23/32, with background music composed. Template:As of the following postcard locations have been revealed for the segment centering on the participating artists:

* Albania - Grand Park of Tirana
* Armenia - Yerevan Botanical Garden
* Austria - Template:Lang, Vienna
* Azerbaijan - Template:Ill, Baku
* Belgium - Atomium, Brussels
* Bulgaria - Varna
* Cyprus - Molos Promenade Park, Limassol
* Czech Republic - Yew Maze, Loučeň Castle
* Denmark - Copenhagen Opera House
* Estonia - Tallinn TV Tower
* Finland - SkyWheel Helsinki
* France - Palace of Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne
* FYR Macedonia - Skopje
* Georgia - Tbilisi
* Germany - Port of Hamburg
* Greece - Sounion
* Hungary - Budapest
* Iceland - Template:Lang, Skógar
* Ireland - Glencullen, County Dublin
* Israel - Masada
* Italy - Janiculum, Rome
* Latvia - Melnsils, Talsi Municipality
* Lithuania - Trakai Island Castle
* Malta - St. Paul's Bay
* Moldova - Chișinău, Old Orhei, Trebujeni
* Montenegro - Podgorica
* Netherlands - Zaandam, North Holland
* Norway - Oslo
* Poland - Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw
* Portugal - Church of Santa Engrácia, Lisbon
* Romania - National Theatre Bucharest
* Russia - Luzhniki Palace of Sports
* San Marino - Guaita, City of San Marino
* Serbia - Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade
* Slovenia - Template:Lang building, Ljubljana
* Spain - Museo del Prado, Madrid
* Sweden - Template:Lang, Gotland
* Switzerland - Lake Zurich
* Ukraine - International Exhibition Centre
* United Kingdom - Tower Bridge, London

## Participating countries

On 20 October 2022, the EBU announced that 41 countries would participate in the contest the lowest number of participating countries with Hungary returning after absence. Australia opting not to participate for financial reasons. On 25 February 2023, the EBU announced that Croatia was withdrawn from participating due to the 2022-2023 Bosnian invasion of Croatia.

### Returning artists

The contest is set to feature at least one representative who has previously performed at the Eurovision Song Contest for the same country: Gustaph previously represented Belgium in as a backing vocalist for Sennek and in Eurovision Song Contest 2021 as a backing vocalist for Hooverphonic.

### Semi-Final 1

Nineteen countries participated in the first semi-final. Those countries plus  France,  Spain,  Sweden and  United Kingdom voted in this semi-final. Croatia was originally allocated to participate in the first half of the semi-final.

### Semi-Final 2

Fifteen countries participated in the second semi-final. Those countries plus  Germany and  Italy voted in this semi-final.

### Final

The final will take place on 13 May 2023 at 20:00 BST (21:00 CEST). Twenty-six countries participated in the final, composed of the "Big Five" and the ten best-ranked entries of each of the two semi-finals. All thirty-seven participating countries with jury and televote, as well as non-participating countries under an aggregated online vote as "Rest of the World", voted in the final.

## Other countries

List of countries in the Eurovision Song Contest Eligibility for potential participation in the Eurovision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active EBU membership that would be able to broadcast the contest via the Eurovision network. The EBU regularly issues invitations of participation in the contest to all active members.

### Active EBU members

* Andorra: On 26 May 2022, Dani Ortolà, content manager of Andorran broadcaster RTVA, confirmed that the country currently is unlikely to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in the short or medium term. Andorra last took part in 2009.
* Slovakia: On 10 June 2022, Slovak broadcaster RTVS confirmed that the country would not return to the contest in 2023, citing financial constraints and low viewing figures during their time in the contest. Slovakia last took part in 2012.

### Non-EBU members

* Belarus: On 28 May 2021, the EBU Executive Board agreed to suspend the membership of Belarusian broadcaster BTRC as a result of the use of the channel by the Belarusian government as a propaganda tool. The broadcaster was given two weeks to respond before the suspension came into effect, but did not do so publicly. BTRC was expelled from the EBU on 1 July for a period of three years, therefore losing the rights to broadcast and participate in any Eurovision event until 1 July 2024; the broadcaster subsequently released a statement affirming that they would not be supporting Belarus' participation in upcoming years. Belarus last took part in 2019, though they had intended to take part in 2021.
* Kosovo: On 16 May 2022, RTK Director-General Shkumbin Ahmetxhekaj stated the Kosovan broadcaster is aiming to apply for EBU membership at the end of the year and confirmed that should RTK gain EBU membership, Kosovo would be able to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest.

### Broadcasts

All participating broadcasters may choose to have on-site or remote commentators providing an insight about the show and voting information to their local audience. While they must broadcast at least the semi-final they are voting in and the final, most broadcasters air all three shows with different programming plans. Similarly, some non-participating broadcasters may still want to air the contest.

The European Broadcasting Union will provide international live streams of both semi-finals and the final through their official YouTube channel with no commentary, and through their official TikTok channel with an additional backstage feed. The YouTube livestream will be geo-blocked to viewers in the Czech Republic, Greece and the United States.

The following are the broadcasters that have confirmed in whole or in part their broadcasting plans and/or their commentators:

Broadcasters and commentators in non-participating countries

## See also

* American Song Contest
* Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023

## External links

* Template:Official website

Template:Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Template:Eurovision Song Contest

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