The big day is here: the Grand Final of the 68th annual Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Malmö tonight.

Advertisement

One year on from the memorable 2023 event in Liverpool, the UK's entry Olly Alexander will take to the stage tonight to perform his song Dizzy and hopefully secure plenty of 12 points from both the judging panel and the European public.

The final follows two semi-finals which took place on Tuesday 7th May and Thursday 9th May, with 10 countries making it through from each including Ireland’s contestant Bambie Thug, Croatia’s Baby Lasagna, and Israel’s Eden Golan.

However one act who had originally made it through but will now be absent from the final is the Netherlands representative Joost Klein, after it was confirmed on Saturday morning that he had been disqualified from the content.

A statement issued by Eurovision said that "it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the contest" after an allegation of intimidation was made by a member of the crew following a backstage incident at Thursday's semi-final.

So, when will the huge Grand Final of the competition be taking place?

With details about the Eurovision 2024 final being released bit by bit, here is everything you need to know.

When is the Eurovision final 2024?

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 Grand Final will take place on Saturday 11th May.

It will be held at the Malmö Arena, marking the seventh time Sweden have hosted the competition.

Much like previous years, 26 acts will perform on the night, and will no doubt be hoping to become the 2024 Eurovision champion.

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 finalists

Olly Alexander sat on a tree stump with his arms folded and legs crossed. He is shirtless and is wearing brown trousers in the middle of a forest with a cabin behind him.
Olly Alexander for Eurovision 2024. BBC

Six acts have been automatically fast-tracked to the final, due to being part of the Big Five or winning last time out:

  • France - Mon amour - Slimane
  • Germany - Always on the Run - Isaak
  • Italy - La noia - Angelina Mango
  • Spain - ZORRA - Nebulossa
  • United Kingdom - Dizzy - Olly Alexander
  • Sweden - Unforgettable - Marcus & Martinus

But who else has qualified from the semi-finals? Read on to find out.

Who qualified from the first Eurovision semi-final?

The 10 countries who made it through are:

  • Serbia / TEYA DORA - RAMONDA
  • Portugal / iolanda - Grito
  • Slovenia / Raiven - Veronika
  • Ukraine / alyona alyona & Jerry Heil - Teresa & Maria
  • Lithuania / Silvester Belt - Luktelk
  • Finland / Windows95man - No Rules!
  • Cyprus / Silia Kapsis - Liar
  • Croatia / Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim
  • Ireland / Bambie Thug - Doomsday Blue
  • Luxembourg / TALI - Fighter

Who qualified from the second Eurovision semi-final?

10 more countries qualified from Thursday’s semi-final, although one of those – Joost Klein of the Netherlands – has since been disqualified. The nine countries that will still perform are:

  • Greece / Marina Satti - ZARI
  • Switzerland / Nemo - The Code
  • Austria / Kaleen - We Will Rave
  • Armenia / LADANIVA - Jako
  • Latvia / Dons - Hollow
  • Georgia / Nutsa Buzaladze - Firefighter
  • Estonia / 5MIINUST x Puuluup - (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi
  • Israel / Eden Golan - Hurricane
  • Norway / Gåte - Ulveham

How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 final

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

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 final UK presenters

Richie Anderson, Rylan, Graham Norton and Scott Mills. They are all stood in front of a pink and orange background, smiling and looking ahead. Scott and Rylan are wearing a black suits while Richie and Graham are wearing pick coats and black shirts.
Richie Anderson, Rylan, Graham Norton and Scott Mills. BBC

Over in the UK, it will be hosted live by presenter Graham Norton on BBC One and iPlayer, while Scott Mills and Rylan will be leading the commentary on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

How to vote in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 final

You will be able to place your vote in the Eurovision final once all acts have performed on the night.

You can find out more about the voting terms and conditions on the BBC's Voting page.

Who is performing at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 final?

The opening and interval acts are being kept a secret for now, but it has been confirmed that Loreen will be returning to Eurovision for an "extra-special performance"!

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 Song Contest Grand Final airs Saturday 11th May at 8pm on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

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

Advertisement

Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Katelyn MensahEntertainment and Factual Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Entertainment and Factual Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement