Melodifestivalen kicks off in little over four months and now Swedish broadcaster SVT has revealed the dates and locations where the six Melodifestivalen 2018 shows will be held next year.
As usual, the grand final will be held at Friends Arena in Stockholm, the home of the Melfest final since 2012. This year’s final will be held on March 10.
But before that, there are five weeks of semi-finals and the andra chansen round. This time the competition will kick off in Karlstad, where the Löfbergs Arena will host the first semi-final on February 3. Karlstad last hosted a Melfest show in 2013, when it was home to the second chance round.
The second semi-final moves south to regular location Gothenburg (Göteborg). It will be held at the Scandinavium on February 10. This makes a change from the past three years when Gothenburg hosted the first semi-final.
Next the third semi-final moves even further south to Eurovision 2013 host city Malmö. The show will take place at the usual venue Malmö Arena on February 17.
The fourth and final deltävling takes place in the small northern city of Örnsköldsvik. It last hosted a Melfest show in 2014. It will host the show at the Fjällräven Center on February 24.
And eight semi-finalists will be heading back down south for the andra chansen round in Kristianstad. It’s the first time Kristianstad will host a Melodifestivalen show. The show will be held at Kristianstad Arena on March 3. And of course, four lucky acts will be joining the other finalists at grand final one week later in Stockholm.
Entries for Melodifestivalen 2018 closed earlier this month. SVT received 2771 entries — the most since 2012. The broadcaster is currently in the midst of selecting the acts for Melfest ’18. It is expected that the competing acts will be announced some time in November.
SVT is also yet to reveal who the host or hosts for Melodifestivalen 2018 will be. Last year the show was hosted by the trio of Clara Henry, David Lindgren and Hasse Andersson, while the year before it was hosted by Gina Diwari and a series of guest hosts.
Tickets for Melodifestivalen 2018 will go on sale on October 31.
What do you think? Will you be in audience at any of the Melfest 2018 shows? Who would you like to see competing on stage? Share you thoughts below!
2011: Loreen loses in second chance round.
2012: Loreen wins.
2017: Loreen loses in second chance round.
2018: Maybe, just maybe, Loreen wins?
Friends Arena has hosted the Melodifestivalen final since 2013, not 2012. I remember thinking that it was nice that a winner eventually came out of all the Globen finals in their last year as host.
https://youtu.be/nbFIEH06VS8
Please check my video for top 100 songs of eurovision 2010-2017
See everyone in Malmo on February 17th!!! Coming from the US and seeing a show in Hamburg the night before. So excited!
Sweden’s journey to victory has officially begun. SVT is very determined to equal Ireland’s record. Get ready!
Ireland would want to get their finger out!
I know it’s ridiculous to predict who will win Eurovision next year without knowing any of the songs but I have this feeling that Sweden will win in 2018 because three years ago, Mans Zelmerlow won and three years before that, Loreen won. I guess the rule is that Sweden wins every three years. Besides Sweden, I think Bulgaria could win because it has become another Azerbaijan with incredible success the past two years with Swedish-produced songs.
bulgaria winning? keep dreaming
I just wanna see Petra Mede on my screen again so its a win-win situation for everyone
Why is that is so important? Most people don’t know Ireland is the biggest winner, not even the participants as we can see on their interview videos.
I think it’s important to go for the victory, but believing you’re the favourite every year is just too overconfident. This year I thought Sweden had 0 chances of winning, for exemple.
I really hope Australia gets to win for the first time
I highly doubt Charlotte Perrelli will be in it or involved it as these dates clash with her operatic shoes in Malmo, but you never know
Ok, for some reason I now have an image of Charlotte Perrelli, wearing shoes that actually sing.
I am sure she will be an interval act once again. As, every other year she seems to be an interval act.
Her comeback this year was absolutely dreadful. I fear she has ruined her reputation, and will never become the first Female act, to win twice at Eurovision
I would love to attend a Melfest Final someday. Sadly, I will have to make do with watching it live on the internet at 5am each Sunday morning here in Australia like I always do (I’ve set the Calendar Alerts on my phone already!). 😀
can you plz tell me which channel thx
I, from UK, have never been to Sweden. I want to go one day. Is it worth going to one of the Melfest gigs as well, or is that too much?
Advice appreciated. 🙂
I as a Dutchman would definitely recommend it. The Melfest shows are partly a big Swedish schlager festival, something foreigners might no understand. But it’s mostly pure fun and amazing gigs!
And then I’d recommend to go to the final as this is in Stockholm. I’m partly biased because I’ve lived there but it’s a quiet but Amazing city!!! I have to admit I think Gothenburg and Malmö are a bit too small for a city trip (although you could combine Malmö with Copenhagen of course).
But I’d definitely recommend Stockholm and it’s big final!! Have fun!
I’m so lucky I work at friends arena, I get to watch the final for free (actually getting paid lol) for 4th time in a row.
And lovely how kristianstad get to host it for the first time
Wow that’s incredible, what job do you do there? (Excuse my curiosity)
I’m actually a student but I work there on weekends at the kiosk inside the arena, literally 10 meters from the seats. Actually good seats and free food from where I’m at lol. :))