Today the big five countries – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom – will draw their places in the grand final running order. The Netherlands already drew 23rd at the HOD meeting in March 2020. It was decided that they would keep this draw for 2021.
As has been the way since 2013, each act will pull out either a first half or second half spot in the running order. The draws will take place during each country’s press conference after their second rehearsal. We will update this post throughout the day, so check back for more updates. The ten qualifiers from semi-final one and the ten from semi-final two will draw their places during the press conference after their respective semis.
Big five running order draw for Eurovision 2021
- Italy: Måneskin — “Zitti E Buoni” — Second Half
- Germany: Jendrik — “I Don’t Feel Hate” — Second Half
- France: Barbara Pravi — “Voilà” — Second Half
- United Kingdom: James Newman — “Embers” — First Half
- Spain: Blas Cantó — “Voy a quedarme” — First Half
What impact does the draw have?
Generally, it is regarded as favourable to perform in the second half of the final. Recent winners such as Loreen (17th), Emmelie de Forest (18th) and Netta (22nd) all performed in the second half. Running order isn’t everything though — Conchita Wurst (11th), Måns Zelmerlöw (10th), Salvador Sobral (11th) and Dunan Laurence (12th) all performed in the first half.
What do you think of the draws? Are you happy with the half your favourite drew? Let us know below.
I think it would be a great idea to place Spain after an energetic entry like Findland. They both would stand out for their potential voters
Ouch, I think both Spain and UK could really struggle in first half. While Italy and France would elevate even more from second half.
Good luck destiny love from malta and gozo
well then UK is opening the show for sure! the moment I heard this song it felt like an opener. Haven’t seen the staging yet but I’m sure the pyro/fireworks will be out to start ESC Grand Final with a bang
Sorry to disappoint but James is not having any fireworks. He confirmed this at his press conference
The UK also opened the show following the last Dutch victory … and then won from that position!
Let’s root a bit for SPAIN! I think the entry is rather moving – the staging is beautiful and the vocals superb! It will definitely get one of my three votes! Has it been somewhat overlooked? I hope not!
It will be funny if Bulgaria draw first half and put to sing 2nd.
Guess Italy is closing another show because we know the EBU loves giving The Big 5 that advantage. Is Spain back to slot number 2?
I didn’t want much for the UK just a few votes and not finish bottom. But a first half draw makes them a likely opening song and together with a reportedly disappointing staging has really made me feel gloomy. There are so many great songs this year I really think the UK draw needed to be good to get anything from the voters.
If there was ever a contestant I would not have expected the most basic outfit from it would have been Blas and yet here we are…
I know that the draw is 100% luck/chance but it seems almost too convenient that the UK and Spain got the first half while fan favorites France and Italy got the 2nd lmao.
Idk how to explain Germany though he’s just really lucky and probably 14th lol
some people believe in the curse of spot 2, others think the earth is flat….
It’s not a curse, but it’s a bad draw so producers put there songs that are expected to place in the bottom 5 of the final.
If you believe that is then it will be.
I think its not fair that 4 of big 6 are in second half. They “stole” one spot from other countires.
It doesn’t have to be fair, it’s called coincidence
How can you steal sth when it‘s happening by chance?!?
I wish the running order wouldn’t be so predictable, it forces us to look these songs in a different way, usally even the commentators say that performing at number xx-xx will usually win. I’d like the best song to win, even if it would perform at the start of the final.
UK is too big of a tv market that they would start the show. They want to ensure U.K. viewers stick with the show as much as possible.
UK has started the show before. How could you forget Mr Englebert Humperdinck.
It was in 2012 , when we had random order. He pick the balls with number 1 for final.
Another unfair consideration, if that actually happens.
Normally I would say that running order doesn’t have much influence on deciding who’s the winner (though can be very influential on those that are midtable), but in a year with more contenders than normal, things may be different. So I’m happy for France and Italy. But we won’t have a better idea until the final draw. What if almost all the favorites get 2nd half and an impactful one has 1st half only for themselves? I believe the UK will open the final, so producers can get rid right away of the task of moving giant trumpets. But if… Read more »
That leaves Belgium.
Hooverphonic performing in the infamous 2nd slow would at least have a little bit of poetry to it after their refusal to participate in Shine A Light.
I would hate to see them in the worst spot, but yeah, it’s a possibility. 🙁
I wouldn’t prefer them being second in the finals, but if that means they’ll qualify, than so be it. 🙂
That’s the silver lining! But I still believe Albania and Romania are the strongest possibilities to come right after the trumpets, since they don’t have any prop, podium or whatsoever with them. In all those cases, the silver lining is that this would mean that they qualified. But if they do, I want them to have a spot that allow them to dream with bigger things.
Am I the only one who thinks it would be amazing to have Barbara and Go_A closing the show? I can’t see best closers than them. I think that Barbara has to perform 25th and Go_A 26th if they pick up the second half.
I think Serbia will open or close the final, it depends in whih half they will be. If they will be in 1 st half they will open, and if Lithuania will be in 2nd half Lithuania will close the show.
I don’t think Lithuania will close the show, but I totally agree with Serbia, it would be a very good opener.
Who wants to bet that Spain will perform 2nd?
That would be unfair as they performed 2nd in Lisbon. I hope they get a little love.
My personal prediction is they go 4th
Bring back the random draw!
I would love to be random order. But now chance , in time that EBU reference group for Eurovision is full of nordic and western memebers.
I agree if not it’s all a fiddle
Amen!
Yes, the songs matter more than the programme. They shouldn’t be sacrificed for the production.
I can see Spain being 2nd in the running order… so unlucky…
UK will open grand final now.
Serbia will open final, if they draw 1st half.
Spain can’t be 2nd again. I guess the delegation will complain if so. Positions between 8 and 12 could be great for Blas.
I always thought it was more important what song is performed before and after your entry. Not the position as a number per se.
With that said, I would find it iconic to have France and Italy perform one after the other in the grand final. It ain’t gonna happen, I know, but one can dare to dream.
With the two favourites in the second half It could give the UK an advantage in my opinion. I think the UK should perform 1st or between 8-13th.
With the trumpets needing to be set up I have a feeling they might open the show, but who knows.
An advantage for? I do not want to be rude and with a lot of love from me towards James, the UK cannot dream more than a top 15.
But they will dare to dream.
if the UK open the show, then i think they will have a good chance, and i think that juries will definitely appreciate it a lot. televoters haven’t been too nice with show openers with the exception of ukraine in 2018. however the style of embers feels a lot more at home in the sound of the industry in the uk rather than the rest of europe, so i believe maybe european casual viewers might find it a lot less generic and give them i higher score. i dont really think running order is a big factor here when it… Read more »
Well that is the final nail in the coffin for the UK and Spain then. Although I always thought that delegations just kind of want to avoid the first 5 positions in the final as it’s hard to be remembered. I think there is an advantage to being in that 5/8 spot and being the first quality song or performance of the evening.
I feel like the UK will open the grand final to perform 1st, Spain could be possibly 2nd, Germany might perform 16th (for my thinking), France might perform 17th (as Lordi, Loreen and Marija Serifovic were competed 17th and all of them won) and I hope that Italy will perform 24th (as I hope).
I don’t think we can tell much as long as both semis didn’t occur
Well there goes any chance for spain, too bad because the song is good in its own and staging is pretty. The only way i see spain not being bottom five is if the jury loves it, they usually like these type of entries
Am I the only one who thinks Germany might actually close the show? It’s definitely going to be one of the Big Five, considering since 2014 one of them closed the show. Germany song is a bit silly but could be a fun choice to end the night.
Edit: Armenia actually closed the show in 2016. But I think you guys get what I’m saying. Sorry for my (little) mistake.
Spain is heading towards doom.
I like it, though!
My problem is the power dynamics here. Big 5 pay more and why guarantees and they don’t get a better position (regardless whether 1st or 2nd half). I’m pretty confident that there would be issues with say France if they’d be put in the unlucky 2nd position.
This whole selection by the organisers to make show fun and diverse is so subjective.
There have been some editions with Big5 countries being in 2nd position. For instance, Spain 2018 or France 2015
I’m not sure UK is good enough to start the show. on reflection. Despite the song title, it lacks energy and fire and James isn’t dancing…..possibly Croatia/Serbia even San Marino is better start…UK might get 3rd, after Spain??? (BTW Spain went 2nd in 2018 and will no doubt make that point, that they do not want “el puesto de la muerte.”!
Bruh… I’m nervous if Croatia being robbed from the finals, I think Serbia and San Marino will go through the finals with their better spot from the 1st half unless one of them performing 3rd, tho…
Even though melodically it would make sense for San Marino to open the final. I doubt they’d have a country open the semi and the final.
We all know that a random draw would be the most fair one. I would add the rule that if two consecutive songs are of the same genre and close in tempo, the later one gets to switch with the one after, but that’s it.
Or we could start with the favorites, and finish with the last ones in the betting odds. That might at least somewhat even the field.
The producers could do just as they do now, but with the songs being anonymous – being divided into different styles.
That actually might be the best idea I’ve heard so far.
very good idea
It’s a nice idea, but comes with its own issues. We’d probably need a committee to decide what constitutes a different style – and how nichely categorised they can then be.
The ‘pop’ category might be a bit self-defeating but the ‘Piaf-style chanson’ category might be a giveaway.
Would love to see the names of the anonymous categories for entries like Hatari and Verka…
It could be as easy as fast/slow.
Strikes me as very binary.
Worth it to prevent favouritism, though.
The favourites will be clear to fans and organisers regardless of the running order.
Why should the quality of the show be compromised at this stage to prevent favouritism?
If France, Italy, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, and Cyprus were placed 21-26, and Latvia, North Macedonia, Portugal, Austria, Georgia, and Poland were placed 1-6 in this random draw, viewers would probably switch off in their millions and not realise the show had better entries to come.
It survived 56 years with that system. The quality is more damaged, for me, by the producers picking favourites instead of the juries and televoters.
I want the contest to thrive, not just survive 😉
Yes, so do I… we just have different ideas of what that means.
I know you do, Jonas, of course. I’m not in total disagreemt with you, I was enjoying the debate and probing the argument.
“It thrived for 56 years with that system” would have been better.
It was probably time for me to shut up ten comments ago, and I suppose the first/second half thing is the best compromise we’ll get, so we both win.
I’m glad you didn’t shut up, I hope that’s not something you often think — and I wasn’t bothered about ‘winning’ and had no concept of that, I was simply exploring the topic with you and Colin 🙂
Don’t worry, I might think it sometimes, but it never stops me. By winning, I didn’t mean this particular debate, just that we all kinda get our way with the situation as it is now… that’s all, and I really am shutting up now.
😛
Me too, with producer drawn selection it all seems about 10% more artificial. The ‘new’ vote reveal, with false suspense when we already knew Sweden can’t win, adds another 5%. And now pre-recorded backing vocals 5% again. Please no more changes in this direction.
Don’t you ever dear to throw mud on the amazing ballads from Austria and Portugal. I think especially Portugal will be respected by the public.
Of course, I am joking 🙂 but I actually need both Portugal and Austria are good songs for viewers at home, not everyone’s cup of tea, but the ones who love this kind of slow songs will really appreciate them.
😉 possibly so 🙂
There´s a huge portuguese community in Switzerland, Spain and France and fortunately all of them has the right to vote in the second semifinal.
Yes, I know that’s why I think they will be at least 11th-10th with the public. Portugal is a very likely qualifier 🙂
They did that with the Kyiv 2017 semis, the order of the songs felt very uneven that year I remember.
Not anonymously.
I guess the description should be more general – ”ballad”, ”uptempo pop”, ”mid-tempo”, and ”alternative” (which would accumulate all the non-conventional entries, such as Hatari, Conan Osiris, Go_A, Manizha, ect.)
I don’t think it’s right to claim we all know that, Colin. A persuasive, reasonable case can be made for selective running order being fairer to artists, so that the order complements the different styles and genres of the performances. Delegations may be less inclined to spend so much money finding and curating their entry if the show itself is based purely on pot luck rather than (rightly or wrongly) ensuring the highest quality production.
I agree that the tempo shifts are very important, and that is why I suggested the switch rule. Examples like Monaco/Israel 2005, or Norway/Portugal 2007 are strong arguments against the totally random draw. But still, there is also a matter of evening the field, at least to a certain degree. Always placing those who won their semis and “powerhouses” like Sweden, Italy or Russia in a good spot year after year can create a sense of inequality.
Oh, definitely – I just wanted to point out that there are good arguments in other directions too. Fairness is important – but Eurovision is also served well by having a high-quality production, that elevates itself, and keeps audiences engaged. Outside of the fanbase, I don’t think lay viewers care much about running order selection methods or whether some pre-recorded backing vocals are used, they want a good show. The organisers are making Eurovision for the ever-expanding ~300 million audience, not just the 10s and 100s of hardcore fans in fan clubs and fan blogs.
Was performing 5th in the GF a good spot for Russia in 2019 – or 6th in SF1 in 2018? Not sure Julia would agree, though she had more problems at the top of that volcano than just the running order…
I’m also not convinced, though, that the clear favourites from the semis shouldn’t be placed in television sweet spots. It’s a TV show, not a social security initiative.
That would just make the contenders obvious, taking away hope and excitement from others.
But the criticism is that placing favourites in sweet spots already happens — and yet it’s evidently not taking away that much hope or excitement, for fans, artists, or lay-viewers. Slovenia performing 2nd had some initial disappointment, for example, but there’s still plenty of excitement and hope for Ana.
Nobody says it’s impossible to qualify from the second spot, or to win from the 7th, but it is admittedly a disadvantage. We’ll never know that, but perhaps someone would get a spot or two up if they were more highlighted in the running order. But sure, examples like Michal Szpak and Triana Park do happen. But despite, not because of their placings.
I don’t disagree with that 🙂
That’s only because they pretend not to do it, which makes it easier for us to pretend it’s not happening. To actually say it and make it obvious would be a different thing.
I do see your point, but I think the organisers keep it vague enough that it’s never really too clear who exactly won the semis, etc. There’s also a converse argument that a randomised running order might take away some of the excitement – and there’d be nothing to discuss. Even the reveal of the running order and the selection of first half / second half would be entirely unnecessary, all of which would reduce discussion and minimise engagement. Engagement is one of the best indicators of popularity for TV outputs.
Maybe a winner might actually come from number two if the producers didn’t arrange for it not to happen, which would help with that concern.
It also begs the question of how far the organisers should go in the pursuit of ‘fairness’. Equality and fairness aren’t exactly the same here. Should all the delegations be given a spending limit so that their budgets are the same? Should delegations with more technical expertise be told not to use that advantage or forced to share it with other broadcasters?
That’s a good question, but no. They shouldn’t limit their budgets or force them to share, if they aren’t willing or compensared. Still, additionally helping them with always giving them better running order spots is perhaps a step too far.
Everybody putting Spain at number two is just assuming that Vasil won’t qualify. Which is probably fair, but maybe the juries will reward his vocals.
I could see Austria performing second, if he qualifies. NM’s chances are minuscule.
How about 10th? Would have been good spot from Austria too
Austria qualified from 2nd already. The critics then said the same thing as today – and were priven wrong.
They should!
My prediction from running order to perform (sorry for that I did a mistake):
1. United Kingdom
2. Spain
.
.
.
16. Germany
17. France
.
.
.
23. The Netherlands
24. Italy
.
.
feel like uk might open the final
I felt too that UK will open
Ultimately, it’s not a quest to be in the first or second half. You just have to stand on the right lanes between 10-12 or 17-22. Before 10 people did not finish eating. Between 12 and 17 they will pee. After 22 it’s the dog who wants to go out to pee. I would like to point out that this very relevant analysis is only humor, eh, second degree and little flowers for you. ?
Spain performed 2nd in 2018, so I don’t see them second again in such a short period of time. My money is on 4th place or so. My hopes are 11th / 12th, but it probably ain’t happening.
There wont be any ballads coming to the final, so.
Italy performed 26th in 2018 and 22nd in 2019 and I see them perfrom 26th again this year
I hope they will perform in a different spot this time! Italy performed 26th in 2018, 22nd in 2019, I hope they will perform 24th this year!
If Albania gets to the final, they won’t put it 2nd as they did in 2019. Spain and Austria are the only realistic guesses to perform 2nd. I think producers don’t care Spain was in the 2nd slot 3 years ago, as in 2020 they gave Go_A the last spot in the running order, although Ukraine was already last in 2018.
In 2018, Ukraine was last in the running order of the semi, in 2021, they are penultimate. Similar, but a bit different. I think that will happen with Spain too. Instead of 2nd, they’ll get to perform third or fourth. Still, them being second again isn’t impossible, as there is no rule of how many times a country can repeat the spot, and how often. 🙂
Yes, I was referring to 2020, I think I was not clear in my past comment, sorry Colin. Last year, Go_A were meant to perform last in the semi, after Roxen (16th) and Eden Alene (15th), even though Melovin performed last in 2018 semi too. I’d prefer to not have Spain to get the 2nd spot, as I really liked Blas this year, but I think producers might think otherwise…
Still, I was sure Germany was going to get the 2nd spot in 2019 and in the end they gave it to Albania, so everything can happen.
damn the second half is gonna be explosive
There is still a hope for Spain if he performs 11th / 12th, and at least some ballads get to perform earlier on… By hope, I mean a top 20 result. I am sad, cause I like the song, but yeah, it doesn’t look promising.
I’m with on Spain – I like it, too!
My Prediction:
1. United Kingdom
2. Spain
.
.
.
.
16. Germany
17. France
.
.
.
23. The Netherlands
24. Italy
.
.
Looks more like a personal top than a prediction
No, it’s my prediction for running order, not a personal top! Sorry for my mistake
Oh, sorry for forgetting to type running order! I’ll edit my comment, now.
I’m sure that bowl had only 1st half ballots. LoL
I think the draw for the Big 5 should happen after the semifinals they’re voting at, together with the other countries. Because now they are alrealy 4 Big 5 + Netherlands countries out of the 9 spots left. And that’s unfair, because there is a big chance we’ll see bops like Serbia, Iceland, Lithuania, Cyprus, Ukraine, Russia and Greece perfrom ALL in the 1st half and that will be a huge mess
You my friend have no idea how probability works
I think that what Nina is trying to tell is that even if the draw happens after SF2, it’s still possible the first 4 countries draw second half, meaning there are only 9 spots left in second half, and possibly all the bops will still get 1st half and we get the same situation. At the end it’s all random.
This is tricky now for the showmasters not to influence the outcome too much. Would have been easier not to have Italy and France in the same half.
If one of them performs 15th, and the other 25th, it won’t even feel close when watching.
No chance about that. We all know that they will push them close to the end, as they will do with Greece, Switzerland, Malta and maybe San Marino or Lithuania
My hope is that France being either 17th or 22nd and Italy being 24th spot.
Spain will perform with no doubt at #2. So Albania will not have a Jonida Maliqi unluck if they reach the finals
I highly doubt Albania would perform 2nd anyway, since it did in the last edition. It’s probably Spain, unless some 9th-10th placers from semi finals are ballads and get drawed in the first half. Not impossible, but at the moment it looks like only Albania and Austria may satisfy these conditions and Albania is already ruled out.
It’s a lock. France and Italy will perform 25th or 26th respectively, but we might see France close the final if they bring a ballad like Bulgaria after Netherlands. But who knows
France could draw 1st half and still place high because its that good! Fingers crossed the UK can deliver on the 1st half.
Things are pretty clear now… Spain will draw 1st half, will perform 2nd after UK, who’ll open the Final. France will be sandwiched between 2 uptempo songs (Italy and Germany), and these 3 will probably close the Final…
1. UK
2. Spain
.
.
.
23. The Netherlands
24. Germany
25. France
26. Italy
I would agree partly. But I would switch Germany and Italy, as Italy is too much in your face and to some extent pretty dark. And the strategy in the past showed that a happy song closes the show. And Germany closing the show would leave people in a smile, whether they liked their entry or not.
Are you sure this is not rigged? The favourite get 2nd half, the not so favourite get 1st … LOL
You can literally see that the interviewer is the one who picks the paper, she asks them to say stop when they want and they can even refuse the first paper that she picks so how can it be rigged ?
I was jocking, gurl.
Ok i see you !
It’s probably rigged, they put the paper in a freezer right before the draw. That’s how they do in the football world.
Yeah that makes sense
Surely the UK and Spain must be first half now?