Canticum Certamine 19

PQR date
 Final date
 Venue
 Entries
 Returning
**Participation map**
* Participating countries     Did not qualify from the semi final or the PQR     Countries that participated in the past but not this edition
 System
 Winner

**Canticum Certamine 19**, often known as **CC 19**, is the nineteenth edition of Canticum Certamine. It took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following Merol's victory in the previous edition with the song "Applaus" . It was the first time the Netherlands hosted the contest.

Fifty-four countries confirmed their participation in the edition. Bulgaria, Israel, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco and Romania returned to the contest after editions of absence. Uzbekistan withdrew from the contest temporarily, stating a lack of funding and poor results for their withdrawal.

Georgia was the winner of this edition, with the song "Manifest" performed by Madlena. This was Georgia's first victory in the history of Canticum Certamine, as well as their first ever top six placement in the final. The song gathered a grand total of 424 points, 68 points ahead of the runner-up, Albania. The Czech Republic finished on third place, meanwhile Israel, San Marino and Slovakia completed the top 6 of the edition. This edition, all countries that qualified from the pre-qualification to the final all managed to pre-qualify for the next edition.

## Location

*For further information see Netherlands*
The Netherlands, also known as Holland, is a country located in Northwestern Europe. It is bordered by Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. The country is known for its unique geography, as a significant portion of its land lies below sea level.

The 19th edition took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country's victory in the 18th edition with the song "Applaus" , performed by Merol. It was the first time the Netherlands hosted the contest. The Rotterdam Ahoy Arena, is a renowned multi-purpose venue that has become a hub for various events and performances. With its impressive capacity of approximately 15,000 people, it has established itself as one of the largest indoor arenas in the country. The arena has a rich history of hosting a diverse range of events, including concerts, sports competitions, trade shows, exhibitions, and conferences. Many world-renowned artists and bands have graced its stage, attracting music enthusiasts from all over the world. The venue has witnessed memorable performances by artists like Beyoncé, U2, and Coldplay, among many others.

### Bidding phase

After the Netherlands accepted the hosting of the 19th edition, on 13 September 2023, the country announced that seven cities with a total of three venues had applied in: Den Haag and Rotterdam.

On 20 September 2023, AVROTROS announced along with the theme for the edition that the Ahoy Rotterdam in Rotterdam was selected as the host venue for the edition.

**Key**      Host venue

 De Kuip | 50,000

## Format

### Semi-final allocation draw

The draw to determine the allocation of the participating countries into their respective semi-finals took place on the 21st of September 2023. The first part of the draw determined in which semi-final the Big Six would have to vote. The second part of the draw decided in which half of the respective semi-finals each country would perform, with the exact running order determined by the producers of the show at a later date. Twenty countries will participate in both semi-finals, respectively. From each semi-final, ten countries will join the "Big 6" in the final, where a total of twenty-six countries will participate.

The forty-two semi-finalists were allocated into six pots, based on their geographical place and cultural similarities. Drawing from different pots helps in reducing the chance of so-called neighbour voting and increasing suspense in the semi-finals. Each time a country was drawn from the pot, its semi-final and half of the semi-final was determined.

The six pots were the following:

* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Greece
* Kosovo
* Montenegro
* Serbia
* Slovenia
* Bulgaria
* Italy
* Malta
* Monaco
* San Marino
* Spain
* Czech Republic
* Moldova
* Poland
* Romania
* Slovakia
 Pot 4
 * Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Egypt
* Georgia
* Kazakhstan
* Israel
* Lebanon
* Estonia
* Faroe Islands
* Finland
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Norway
* Austria
* Belgium
* Germany
* Ireland
* Luxembourg
* Switzerland

## Participating countries

### Semi-final 1

Twenty-one countries participated in the first semi-final. Cyprus, Netherlands and Russia also voted in this semi-final. The highlighted countries qualified for the final.

### Semi-final 2

Twenty-one countries participated in the second semi-final. Sweden, Türkiye and United Kingdom also voted in this semi-final. The highlighted countries qualified for the final.