A few days ago, EBU announced a set of new Eurovision rules aimed at making the voting system fairer and more transparent, especially in light of the controversies regarding the 2025 contest. Here are the new rules:
- Stricter Guidelines on Promotion: introduction of updated Voting Instructions which prevent huge promotional campaigns – particularly from third parties such as governments- that could unfairly influence the public vote.
- Fewer Public Votes per Viewer: To help keep the voting balanced, the maximum number of votes will be reduced from 20 to 10.
- Return of Juries to the same-finals: Jury voting is coming back to the semi-finals. Results will once again be decided by a 50/50 split between juries and public televote, mirroring the Grand Final format. Additionally, each country’s jury will expand from 5 to 7 members, with at least two jurors aged 18–25—an effort to better represent Eurovision’s younger fanbase.
- Enhanced Technical Safeguards: The EBU is also upgrading its monitoring systems to detect suspicious voting patterns more effectively. These enhanced technical measures aim to ensure that televoting remains trustworthy and accurate.
These rules are set to debut at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. EBU members will meet in early December to formally approve the changes and confirm their participation. The full list of competing broadcasters will be announced before Christmas—so stay tuned!
What do you think about these new rules? Do you agree or disagree with any? Let us know in the comments!
