The moment y’all have been waiting for has finally arrived. This afternoon host broadcaster ORF staged the all important semi-final allocation draw inside the Vienna Rathaus (City Hall), presented to you by Andi Knoll and Kati Bellowitsch. Below you can see which countries will sing in which semi-final, and whether they are in the first half or second half. The Big 5 and the host broadcaster were also assigned to semi-finals for voting purposes. One other thing: Georgia’s “Warrior” Nina Sublatti and Malta’s “Warrior” Amber will sing in different semis. The showdown will have to wait for the final…
First Semi-Final Allocation
First Half
Greece
F.Y.R. Macedonia
Estonia
The Netherlands
Moldova
Finland
Belgium
Armenia
Second Half
Serbia
Denmark
Belarus
Romania
Russia
Albania
Georgia
Hungary
Big 5 Countries
Spain
Austria
France
A photo posted by ESC — Building Bridges (@esc_buildingbridges) on
Second Semi-Final Allocation
First Half
Norway
Ireland
Czech Republic
Lithuania
San Marino
Malta
Portugal
Montenegro
Second Half
Switzerland
Azerbaijan
Slovenia
Latvia
Poland
Iceland
Israel
Cyprus
Sweden
Big 5 Countries
Germany, Italy and United Kingdom
Germany was allocated to the Second Semi-Final due to a request from broadcaster ARD, which was and approved by the Reference Group.
Same as last year, the producers will decide the full running order of both semi-finals once all the songs have been confirmed. This will be announced at a later date. All three shows of this year’s contest will take place at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle. The First Semi-Final is on 19 May, the Second Semi-Final on 21 May and the Grand Final is on 23 May.
Allocation Pots
As ever, the EBU divided the competing countries into “pots” based on historical voting patterns. They divide the pots among the two semi-finals to reduce the strength of bloc voting. The pots were divided as follows:
Pot 1
Albania
F.Y.R. Macedonia
Montenegro
Slovenia
Switzerland
Serbia
Malta
Pot 2
Denmark
Finland
Estonia
Norway
Sweden
Iceland
Latvia
Pot 3
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Georgia
Israel
Russia
Armenia
Lithuania
Pot 4
Belgium
Cyprus
Greece
Ireland
The Netherlands
San Marino
Pot 5
Hungary
Moldova
Romania
Portugal
Poland
Czech Republic
What did you think of today’s draw? Of the acts that have already been chosen, do you think they’ll sit nicely in their assigned halves?
Does anyone know if Australia votes on a semi-final?
Another thing that might play against Denmark in the semis is the fact that:
1. Norway
2. Sweden
3. Iceland
4. Ireland
5. Germany
Voting in the 2nd semi final. But they have Finland, Netherlands, Austria and Estonia to lean on for votes.
I think if Denmark get it wrong, it could be like Norway 2011 all over again and they could easily fail to qualify for the first time since 2007. It’s a shame because I’m always excited about Denmark. 🙁 I hope they can continue their qualification streak (7 years on the trot for Denmark so far. Excellent track record of qualifying.)
Meanwhile, in the second semi final, Denmark’s friends Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Ireland will have no trouble qualifying if they have the song, singer and presentation.
AZERBAIJAN FAVORITE TO NINA SUBLATTI GO GEORGIA
Eurgh, countries shouldn’t qualify depending n who votes, those of you who say it does are the problem! It should be a SONG contest, ffs.
Will lose my faith if Azerbaijan qualify with a terrible song again. Having said that, at least they got the correct rank in the final.
georgia is the bestt:)))) nina sublatti is the best singer 🙂 good lucky
I take it that the 1st semifinal is the Group of Death, eh? :-X
This is a great distribution – there are a handful of really strong contenders in each semi. Austria is looking good at this point!
Well… good news for Greece. I mean’t couldn’t have been worse.
go,albania!!!!go,elhaida dani!!!!
Awful draw for Portugal, first part of a semifinal where there are no Spain or France voting. Extra pressure to come back to final!
Also, Eurovision without Ukraine is not the same thing!
Sad Eurovision without Ukraine after quite a few years.
Deniz@turknl: saol
georgia
Georgie !!! go Nina
Can’t wait to see Nina’s Performance!! 12 points from me!
We alredy know that 12 points from Malta, San Marino, Montenegro and maybe Latvia and Lithuania go to Azerbaijn in 2nd semifinal.
Denmark is screwed badly this year because their songs are mostly awful. I think if Finland send opera Skaala they’d definitely qualify – not top 5 because of juries. Also semi final 2 is going to be a good semi final but the only certain qualifier is Sweden.
Not happy with San Marino being drawn first half… I almost feel as though the most isolated countries should just be given second half, period. But that’s life (although of course the Big 5 countries automatically get the final). I have the same feelings about Czech Republic being drawn first half. Also yes, Poland does seem to have a huge advantage, unless they send some terrible song.
But FINALLY, after three years of being stuck in terrible positions in the running order, Latvia is going second half!
Belgium won their semi-final back in 2010, against Greece, Russia/Belarus, Moldova, Serbia/Albania/Bosnia, etc., because the song was good. So with a good song, anything can happen.
@star: If by “awful country”, you mean that Belgium doesn’t give their 12 points to the same (neighbor) countries every single year regardless of the quality of the song, then yes, it is an awful country! 😉
@Mavision actually yeah…you are right…but still, in 2010 I loved Niamh but the rest of the UK didn’t think so…but Ireland did screw it up last year, just that the UK didn’t help because, well let’s face it, we just screw Eurovision…
semi 1 will be harder ….to qualify from… so many “usually confirmed qualifiers” in that semi
Arianator, 5:57 in the video above 😉
I really like the semi finals this year. A lot of countries that usually qualify in the first one and ones that vary in the second
Deniz@turknl: nerede?? ))
O my goodness! I didn’t even notice, but I am in the video!
Azerbaijan without Russia uuuu, Portugal without Spain uuuu, Cyprus without Greece uuu 😀
Going by qualification success rate in recent years:
AZERBAIJAN
ICELAND
SWEDEN
NORWAY
MALTA
IRELAND
Will qualify for the final.
In short, I agree with you William Lee Adams. 😀 😀
@Daniel, I think almost everyone was in agreement that the performance was terrible. It was screaming ‘look at how Irish we can be!’ It didn’t really help that Can Linn were there either, Kasey is a good singer and the song wasn’t actually bad, one of the favourites of the year. She was royaly stitched up by Hazel K.
Meh, alright split…but Romania and Moldova is a big NO NO!
I actually think the Netherlands have a chance to win this year and @Realist and Deven O’K, I wouldn’t count on the Uk as a good ally for Ireland…look at last year….
Can anyone explain why Germany always requests to vote in the 2nd semi final?
So Denmark is in a hard semi-final with only 2 friends and the fact that Romania, Greece, Russia and Armenia are in their semi-final makes it hard since their is only 6 spaces left and Finland has strong songs as does Hungary plus Serbia, FYR Macedonia and Albania all get to chum up to each other. Makes Denmark’s chances of qualifying hard but add in the fact that their national selection songs have as much quality as a Latvian selection means Last years host are going to need a miracle to qualify for the final.
Russia have never performed in the second semi final.
As for Azerbaijan, I think they were actually underrated this year and they may just get through
I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t qualify though. Israel has a big chance of actually qualifying.
However, it actually depends on the song
Time to get to know ORF, Vienna, The Hosts and of course Austria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7iZmrT3k4o
Russia was in the first semi-final since 2010 😮
Here’s a fun-fact – I’ve decided to check the betting odds for “winner of ESC”, even though is waaaaaay to early for that. Estonia, surprisingly is the first candidate for the win, followed by Sweden, Finland (!!!), Azerbaijan & Greece.
I have no comments.
if azerbaijan where in the first half, there would have been a seriously good chance of them not making the final, there still is if there drawn 9th or something, last year with almost all there friends they nearly missed out.
AZERBAYCAN AZERBA?JAN W?LL QUAL?FY
Of course I hope my country (The Netherlands) will go through. Countries that will go through regardless their songs, are Russia, Greece and Romania. Armenia, Denmark and Hungary have been succesful the previous years as well. Luckily, block voting has occured less the previous years due to the introduction of the jury. Therefore, the joke acts won’t make it trough the final either. Eurovision has become much better and more enjoyable since the jury votes as well. On the other hand, a lot of countries that have not make it through the final often the previous years, are in the… Read more »
Interesting Semi Final draw! But I can’t vote for my favorites The Netherlands and Georgia 🙁 Hope they go into the final! But I will definitely vote for Malta! Hope countries which qualify just a few or no times like Israel, Cyprus, Portugal, Poland, Czech Republic, Latvia, Montenegro, San Marino and Slovenia send good songs so I will vote for them all! But good luck to all countries in the Semi Finals 🙂
Poland has a huge advantage in the SF2 meanwhile seeing Azerbaijan in the SF2 is hilarious, most of its neighbors and allies are in the first one. I think the only friend they have mostly in that semi is Malta and probably San Marino
Azerbaijan second semi is good right??
I’m so glad that the UK and Ireland will get to vote for Malta, San Marino and Switzerland!
Ireland seems to be in a really nice semi final this year again. Just keep this news away from RTE or we’ll have Can Linn on the 1st flight to Vienna In May.
Damn Finland is in first semi-final 🙁
Ireland got the easy semi and the UK. We’ll have to make a total balls of it this time not to qualify.
YAY we (Ireland) got the UK voting in our semi again hurray!!!,
Italy got the 2nd semi! This could, emphasis on ‘could,’ help San Marino and Malta! Sure hope so.
Poor Georgia 🙁 but she’s a warrior
indeeed eurojan
Belgium no final this year
it’s an awful country