The official opening ceremony of Eurovision 2026 took place in Vienna. Contestants walked down the turquoise carpet in front of thousands of spectators, while preparations for the show were accompanied by boycotts, protests, and heightened security measures.
The 70th Eurovision Song Contest officially kicked off in the capital of Austria.
The opening ceremony took place in the center of Vienna — a turquoise carpet approximately 170 meters long was laid from the Burgtheater to the city hall. It was along this carpet that the contestants walked to the city hall building amidst the applause of thousands of spectators.
The artists were welcomed by Vienna's mayor Michael Ludwig and the contest organizers.
Despite the festive atmosphere, this year's Eurovision is accompanied by one of the most tense preparations in recent years.
Several television companies — from the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, and Slovenia — announced a boycott of the contest due to Israel's participation.
Nevertheless, there were no serious protests during the opening ceremony. When Israel's representative Noam Beattan appeared on the carpet, there was no mass discontent from the audience.
Small protests took place separately from the main venue — participants demanded Israel's disqualification from the contest due to the military operation in the Gaza Strip.
Due to heightened attention to security issues, the Austrian authorities increased protection for the Israeli delegation. According to local media, Austrian services are also cooperating with the FBI to prevent possible cyberattacks during the contest.
Despite the political backdrop, the ceremony itself went on as a large musical celebration: fans greeted the participants to Eurovision music, raising smartphones and flags of various countries into the air.
The opening is traditionally considered the most glamorous event of the contest. Participants prepare special looks in advance, and this year, among the main colors on the carpet, black and red stood out prominently.
Latvia is represented in the contest by singer Atvara. At the opening ceremony, she appeared in a shimmering silver dress with a long black train — the look echoed her stage costume adorned with crystals.
Atvara will perform in the second semifinal of Eurovision on May 14 at 22:00.
Currently, bookmakers name Finland, Greece, Denmark, France, and Australia as the main favorites of the contest. The Ukrainian project LELÉKA is predicted to place in the top ten.
A total of 35 countries are participating in the contest, but only 25 participants will advance to the final after two semifinals.
The main show will take place on May 16 at the Wiener Stadthalle.
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