The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is taking place in a highly anticipated context, with a second semi-final scheduled for this Thursday, May 14 in Vienna, Austria, where fifteen countries will compete to try to secure their place in the final. Among them, France will be represented by Monroe, a young 17-year-old artist, who will perform her song Look at! during this crucial stage.
Monroe, known for having won the show “Prodiges” on France 2, is the youngest of this edition and will perform on stage in a performance out of competition, benefiting from direct qualification for the final scheduled for Saturday May 16 in the prestigious Stadthalle hall in Vienna.
A year after JJ’s victory in Switzerland during the 69th edition of the competition, the responsibility for hosting Eurovision therefore falls to Austria. The first semi-final, held on May 12, allowed ten countries to qualify for the final among the fifteen competing. Greece, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Moldova, Israel, Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania, and Poland were retained, while Georgia, Montenegro, San Marino, Portugal and Estonia were eliminated.
The second semi-final, which takes place on May 14, will put fifteen other countries in competition: Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Romania, Luxembourg, Czechia, Armenia, Switzerland, Cyprus, Latvia, Denmark, Australia, Ukraine, Albania, Malta and Norway. It is in this context that Monroe will defend the French colors, also contributing to the vote during this phase.
Eurovision 2026: France and the “Big 4” countries exempt from the semi-finals
France benefits from a special status within the competition since it is one of the so-called countries of «Big 4»a group that also includes the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany. These countries are exempt from participating in the semi-finals, thanks to their major financial contribution to the organization of Eurovision. This exemption guarantees them a direct place in the final each year, regardless of the result obtained previously.
Austria, in its capacity as host country, also benefits from automatic qualification for the Eurovision 2026 final. Note that Spain, which previously formed a “Big 5” with these countries, withdrew from the competition this year for reasons linked to the presence of Israel.
Despite this exemption, France takes part in the semi-final votes. Thus, Monroe will perform on stage on May 14, but outside the official classification. It will nevertheless have the opportunity to gain visibility before the grand final, where 25 countries will compete for the supreme title. The last French triumph at Eurovision dates from 1977, with Marie Myriam and her song The bird and the child.
The final of the competition will be broadcast live on France 2, with comments from Stéphane Bern and Camille Cerf, who will accompany viewers throughout this eventful evening in the heart of Vienna.
