Eurovision 2026 Grand Final: Vienna spectacle, live-instrument feats and protests
Live updates from the 70th Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final in Vienna describe a festival of music and spectacle as 25 acts compete, with Finland’s Liekinheitin and Moldova’s Satoshi among the favorites, spanning pop, folk, rap, and operatic-infused sounds. The broadcast highlights dramatic staging, a rare live instrument moment (Finland’s violin), and standout turns from Greece, Croatia, the UK, Ukraine and more, while five countries — Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland — boycott Israel’s participation amid ongoing protests that disrupted performances. The article also covers viewing and voting details and emphasizes Eurovision’s blend of entertainment with geopolitical tensions.
