Eurovision 2020 Host City Insignia Exchange & Semi-Final Allocation Draw
Edsilia Rombley, Chantal Janzen and Jan Smit conducted the draw in 2020 Photo: Roel Dijkstra Fotografie, Marc Heeman

2020 Semi-Final line-up to stay for 2021

With the same 41 countries that would have sung in Rotterdam last May participating again in 2021, the Reference Group of the Eurovision Song Contest has agreed to not to proceed with a new Allocation Draw in January. That means all the countries drawn to perform in Semi-Finals 1 and 2 this year will remain in the same show for Rotterdam 2021. The Big 5 and The Netherlands will also vote in the same Semi-Final as drawn last year.

By keeping the allocation of the Semi-Finals the same as in 2020 fans who have bought a ticket to see their own country will still be able to do so if circumstances allow. Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest said: “Under normal circumstances we would be looking forward to the Allocation Draw and Host Insignia Exchange Ceremony as an important milestone on the road to Rotterdam 2021. With the same participating countries as last year , the Reference Group decided that it made sense for both ticket holders and for participating broadcasters to keep the same Semi-Final draws as 2020. Even though we won’t have the traditional Ceremony in January we have plenty more planned to build excitement ahead of the return of the Eurovision Song Contest next year.”

The Semi-Finals will include the following countries:

Big 5 + Host Country the Netherlands

Semi-Final Allocation Draw resultsNPO/AVROTROS/NOS

  • Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands will vote in the first Semi-Final.

  • France, Spain and the United Kingdom will vote in the second Semi-Final.

First Semi-Final (18 May 2021)

The first Semi-Final of Eurovision 2021NPO/AVROTROS/NOS

First half

  • North Macedonia

  • Belarus

  • Lithuania

  • Sweden

  • Slovenia

  • Australia

  • Ireland

  • Russia

Second half

  • Norway

  • Cyprus

  • Croatia

  • Azerbaijan

  • Malta

  • Israel

  • Ukraine

  • Romania

  • Belgium

Second Semi-Final (20 May 2021)

The second Semi-Final of Eurovision 2021NPO/AVROTROS/NOS

First half

  • Austria

  • Moldova

  • Poland

  • San Marino

  • Serbia

  • Iceland

  • Czech Republic

  • Greece

  • Estonia

Second half

  • Denmark

  • Bulgaria

  • Switzerland

  • Finland

  • Armenia

  • Latvia

  • Georgia

  • Portugal

  • Albania

From each Semi-Final, 10 countries will proceed to the Grand Final on the 22 May, joining the 6 pre-qualified countries. In total, 26 countries will be represented in the Grand Final. The running order will, like always, be revealed after all the songs have been submitted.

Jeangu Macrooy will keep number 23!

The Netherlands will perform as 23rd in the Eurovision 2021 Grand FinalEBU / Stijn Smulders

At the Heads of Delegation meeting last March a draw took place to determine the starting place in the final for host country The Netherlands. Jeangu Macrooy, who was selected to represent his country in 2020 with the song Grow, was set to perform in spot 23 in the final. The Reference Group has now decided that Jeangu will keep this spot at the Contest in 2021 when he performs with his new song!

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