Bulgaria claims first Eurovision victory amid historic boycott
Dara’s win for Bulgaria comes as five nations boycott over Israel’s participation, marking the largest political boycott in the event’s history.
Bulgaria has secured its first victory in the 70-year history of the Eurovision Song Contest, with singer Dara winning the 2026 edition in Vienna. The win concludes a period of significant geopolitical tension surrounding the event, which saw five nations—Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia—boycotting the contest in protest of Israel’s participation due to the war in Gaza. Israel’s Noam Bettan finished second, while Romania placed third. The United Kingdom finished last, receiving zero points.
Bulgaria’s return to the competition follows three years of absence, and the victory avoids logistical complexities for the European Broadcasting Union regarding the hosting of the 2027 edition. Dara, whose song "Bangaranga" is described as a pop anthem with folklore influences inspired by the ancient kukeri ritual, accumulated 516 points. She overtook Israel’s 343 points during the final televote reveal, securing the title in a contest that bookmakers had not heavily favoured.
The event was marked by the largest political boycott in Eurovision history, with the five boycotting nations citing the war in Gaza as the reason for their absence. Protests occurred near the Wiener Stadthalle arena, with demonstrators holding placards reading "Block Eurovision" and pro-Palestinian groups staging an outdoor concert titled "No stage for genocide." Earlier in the week, four individuals were ejected during the semifinal for attempting to disrupt Noam Bettan’s performance.
Voting rules were tightened this year following allegations of an intense lobbying campaign by Israel to secure votes. Despite these measures, Israel finished second for the second consecutive year, largely due to a significant public televote. Bettan’s song "Michelle" was performed in Hebrew, French, and English, receiving loud cheers mixed with boos from the audience in Vienna.
Previous winner Johannes Pietsch, known as JJ, opened the show with an aria from Mozart’s "The Magic Flute" before handing the trophy to Dara. The top ten also included Australia in fourth place with 287 points, Italy in fifth with 281, and Finland in sixth with 279. The win for Bulgaria marks a significant shift in the contest’s landscape, ending a streak of absence and avoiding the hosting dilemma that would have arisen had Israel won.
