When is Eurovision 2024? Air date, location and news

And if that wasn't enough to get you excited, 2024 also marks 50 years since ABBA won the song contest in 1974.

While the band have ruled out a Eurovision reunion, there are 37 acts to get excited for as the contest gets under way in just two weeks!

Read on for everything you need to know about Eurovision 2024, including where it will be held, how to watch it and which countries will be participating.

When is Eurovision 2024? Dates for semi-finals

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will kick off with the semi-finals on Tuesday 7th May at 8pm.

Rylan and Scott Mills will be heading the BBC coverage live from Malmö in Sweden for the first semi-final.

For the first time in Eurovision, the 'Big Five', comprised of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, will all showcase their songs in the semi-finals ahead of the Grand Final.

The second semi-final will air on Thursday 9th May at 8pm, in which the remaining acts will perform in a bid to get a place in the Grand Final.

When is the Eurovision 2024 final?

The Eurovision Grand Final will take place on Saturday 11th May at 8pm.

Sweden will be the first country to perform in the Grand Final, with the full running orders to be confirmed at a later date.

Where is Eurovision 2024 being held?

Eurovision 2024 will be taking place at the Malmö Arena in Sweden, following Loreen's win the previous year.

The semi-finals and final will be broadcast live from the arena. This year will mark the third time Malmö has held the song contest, after it previously hosted the event in 1992 and 2013.

As a country, Sweden has already hosted the Eurovision Song Contest six times! It previously staged the competition in 1975, 1986, 1992, 2000, 2013 and 2016.

How to watch Eurovision 2024

While the exact transmission details for Eurovision 2024 are yet to be determined, it has been confirmed the show will air live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

How to get Eurovision 2024 tickets

Tickets went live for Eurovision 2024 late last year, and they appear to have already sold out!

If you're desperate to get your hands on some tickets, there could still be some lurking around.

Read our full guide on Eurovision 2024 tickets to find out more.

Who are the UK Eurovision 2024 presenters?

So far, the BBC has confirmed that Rylan Clark and Scott Mills will be live from Malmö for the first semi-final, with further details yet to be announced.

We'll be sure to keep this page updated once more is revealed!

Who is the UK's Eurovision entry?

English pop star Olly Alexander will represent the UK this May in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Alexander takes over from Mae Muller, who finished in 25th place with just 24 points - placing second from the bottom in the competition.

He will represent the UK with his song Dizzy, which he co-wrote with Danny L Harle.

"I wrote the song last summer with Danny L Harle. We started off with the word 'Dizzy' because it just popped into my head and I liked it," Alexander said.

"I was thinking about fun things that could make you dizzy, and I remember saying 'dizzy from your kisses', so the song is about feeling such an intense swell of emotion for someone [that] they totally turn your world upside down and inside out."

Which countries will compete in Eurovision 2024?

Once again, 37 countries will be taking part in the 2024 contest.

Here are all the countries taking part:

• Albania - 'TiTan' - Besa Kokëdhima
• Armenia - 'Jako' - LADANIVA
• Australia - 'One Milkali' '(One Blood)' - Electric Fields
• Austria - 'We Will Rave' - Kaleen
• Azerbaijan - 'Özünlə Apar' - Fahree featuring Ilkin Dovlatov
• Belgium - 'Before the Party's Over' - Mustii
• Croatia - 'Rim Tim Tagi Dim' - Baby Lasagna
• Cyprus - 'Liar' - Silia Kapsis
• Czechia - 'Pedestal' - Aiko
• Denmark - 'Sand' - Saba
• Estonia - '(Nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi' '(We Still) Don't Know Anything About (These) Drugs' - 5MIINUST x Puuluup
• Finland - 'No Rules' - Windows95man
• France - 'Mon amour' - Slimane
• Georgia - 'Firefighter' - Nutsa Buzaladze
• Germany - 'Always On The Run' - Isaak
• Greece - 'ZARI' - Marina Satti
• Iceland - 'Scared of Heights' - Hera Björk
• Ireland - 'Doomsday Blue' - Bambie Thug
• Israel - 'Hurricane' - Eden Golan
• Italy - 'La noia' - Angelina Mango
• Latvia - 'Hollow' - Dons
• Lithuania - 'Luktelk' - Silvester Belt
• Luxembourg - 'Fighter' - TALI
• Malta - 'Loop' - Sarah Bonnici
• Moldova - 'In the Middle' - Natalia Barbu
• Netherlands - 'Europapa' - Joost Klein
• Norway - 'Ulveham' - Gåte
• Poland - 'The Tower' - LUNA
• Portugal - 'Grito' - iolanda
• San Marino - '11:11' - Megara
• Serbia - 'RAMONDA' - TEYA DORA
• Slovenia - 'Veronika' - Raiven
• Spain - 'ZORRA' - Nebulossa
• Sweden - 'Unforgettable' - Marcus & Martinus
• Switzerland - 'The Code' - Nemo
• Ukraine - 'Teresa & Maria' - alyona alyona & Jerry Heil
• United Kingdom - 'Dizzy' - Olly Alexander

The Eurovision Song Contest has faced significant criticism over its decision to allow Israel to compete in this year’s competition in light of the current situation in Gaza and the Middle East, with some fans and members of the music industry calling for a boycott of the ceremony.

Noel Curran – director general of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises Eurovision – has said in a statement: "We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East. We can’t fail to be moved by the profound suffering of all those caught up in this terrible war.

"However, the Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political music event and a competition between public service broadcasters who are members of the EBU. It is not a contest between governments.

"As a member-led organisation, our governing bodies – the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group and the Executive Board – did review the participants list for the 2024 Contest and agreed that the Israeli public broadcaster KAN met all the competition rules for this year and can participate as it has for the past 50 years."

The artists taking part in this year's contest have also faced backlash for not pulling out of the ceremony, including the UK's act Olly Alexander, who signed a joint statement alongside other entrants explaining they "do not feel comfortable being silent".

"It is important to us to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and communicate our heartfelt wish for peace, an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and the safe return of all hostages," the statement read. "We stand united against all forms of hate, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

"We firmly believe in the unifying power of music, enabling people to transcend differences and foster meaningful conversations and connections. We feel that it is our duty to create and uphold this space, with a strong hope that it will inspire greater compassion and empathy."

The Eurovision 2024 live final will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday 11th May at 8pm.

You can also check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision.

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