Melodifestivalen 2020 kicks off in less than five months and now Swedish broadcaster SVT has revealed the dates and locations where the six Melfest shows will be held as Sweden selects its act for Eurovision 2020.

The 2020 edition of Sweden’s national final returns, with the standard Melfest tour format that sets it apart from most other national finals. Every year the semi-finals of the show are held in different cities and towns, taking the Melodifestivalen magic to smaller regional cities as well as big urban areas.

As usual, the grand final will be held at Friends Arena in Stockholm, the home of the Melfest final since 2013. This year’s final will be held on March 7th.

But before that, there are five weeks of semi-finals and the andra chansen round. This time the competition will kick off in Linköping on February 1st at the Saab Arena. Melfest has visited Linköping five times before, and last paid a visit in 2017, when the andra chansen show was hosted there.

The second semi-final will be held on February 8th at another regular location, Göteborg (Gothenburg). The show will be held in the iconic Scandinavium, which previously hosted Eurovision 1985.

The northern city of Luleå will host the third semi-final on February 15th at the Coop Norrbotten Arena. This will be only the third time the coastal city has hosted a Mello show, last hosting back in 2011.

And regular stopover Malmö will host the fourth semi-final on 22 February. The show will be held at Malmö Arena, home of Eurovision 2013.

Melodifestivalen’s iconic andra chansen round will throw a lifeline to four acts in the city of Eskilstuna. It’s the first time the city has hosted a Melfest show, but it won’t be far for acts, just a short drive from Stockholm. Andra chansen will be held in theStiga sports arena on February 29th.

And of course the four qualifying andra chansen acts will join the other finalists at grand final one week later in Stockholm.

Entries for Melodifestivalen 2020 are now open and will close in three weeks time, on September 15. It is expected that the competing acts for 2020 will be announced sometime in November.

On Saturday, P4 Nästa finalist Amanda Aasa was confirmed as the first act for Melodifestivalen 2020, after winning the wildcard entry.

Melodifestivalen 2020 – Dates and venues

Semi-final 1
1 February 2020
Saab Arena
Linköping

Semi-final 2
8 February 2020
Scandinavium
Göteborg

Semi-final 3
15 February 2020
Coop Norrbotten Arena
Luleå

Semi-final 4
22 February
Malmö Arena
Malmö

Andra chansen
29 February 2020
Stiga Sports Arena
Eskilstuna

Grand final
7 March 2020
Friends Arena
Stockholm

Follow all of our Sweden Eurovision news here

60 Comments
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Geo
Geo
4 years ago

Another year, another pop/radio trash/generic track, sung by a male… So predictible by Sweden. At least that’s what they’ve picked in the past 5 years. Maybe a bold, surprising move? At least a solo female? A duo or a group? If they don’t want to be punished by the televoters during Eurovision (I won’t count on the miserable juries, though)…

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  Geo

When are you getting tired of stalking Sweden? PS for the 100th time. If a male song is better then a womans we choose him. why cant fans get that and thare are 45 countries. Focus on some other.

Jack Pricefield
Jack Pricefield
4 years ago

March 7th must be the earliest date for Melfest finalen since the introduction of it’s current 6 show format in 2002! gonna be cool to watch Andra chansen on leap year as well and I’m glad Lulea: northernmost city in Sweden is hosting a semi for the first time in 9 years! 2020 will mark 10 years since I livestreamed my first national final which was Melodifestivalen 2010 finalen, bruh.

Jack
Jack
4 years ago

Can the Rasmus/Denis Swedish troll stop commenting “boring opinion” on every comment in the article that doesn’t support Swedish overrated entries? People are allowed to have their opinion, nobody asked for permission.

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  Jack

were not the same person haha. just 2 swedes. And you have the same stupid opinion on every swedish article. Generic pop songs and overrated by the jury. I mean say something different or positive sometime.

Karlan
Karlan
4 years ago

Magnus Karlsson or Bishara will go in 2020.Melodifestivalen it’s awesome contest with great artists.

Peti
Peti
4 years ago

Sweden is a powerhouse in ESC. Melodifestivalen is like a ESC pre show.. amazing

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

If we send a woman: Fans will say we have bribed the jury
If we send a song in swedish fans will say we bribed the jury
If we send Christer Björkman fans will say we bribed the jury.
Conclusion: Fans are REALLY stupid.

Gigii
Gigii
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

Nope, nobody says you bribe the jury, but Sweden being overrated by the juries each year is a fact, sorry

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  Gigii

no sorry. Fans ALWAYS says that. Benjamin, John, Sanna, Robin Was great and got 7th , 5th,3rd, 5th for a reason.

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

the reason is that without the mediocrity-loving juries they all would’ve been considerably lower (apart from sainta nielsus, whose points’ gap between the two votings was neglectable)

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

haha NEVER. good songs get good placings. you see ONLY Sweden. not the songs

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

okay but the vote of 200 million ppl is a better indicator of what a good song is according to the public than the vote of 200 ppl… so we can agree that the broader audience doesn’t think some swedish entries are as good as the ebu’s jury wants us to believe

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

No then San Marino would have been 10th so no

Peti
Peti
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

many people are jealous

Robbie Kennedy-Elliott
Robbie Kennedy-Elliott
4 years ago

Oh here we go again – all the focus on Sweden. Let’s see how long before they’re the bookies favourite again!

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
4 years ago

What kind of focus are you talking about? We recently had the news about Festival da Cancao and Melodi Grand Prix, now the dates for MF 2020 were published, so there’s an article about that. And of course they’ll be the bookies favourite in the beginning, Sweden’s got the best average placings of all the countries, bookies won’t put the money on Montenegro. Why would it matter tho, if we don’t even know any song yet?

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

Boring opinion. Get over yourself

Phary
Phary
4 years ago

Oh, I just noticed that there will be a February 29th next year.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
4 years ago
Reply to  Phary

Yep, 2020 is a leap year. I have always noticed these events happening in leap years—the summer Olympics and the us presidential election.

esc1234
esc1234
4 years ago

Lets see if they learned their lesson after 2 years of low televoting (and scandalous jury support) and send something not safe and radio friendy. A girl or even a band would be nice but i doubt it….

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

Still made top ten in the televote this year as opposed to bottom five.

esc1234
esc1234
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

they almost won the jury vote and stole the spotlight from tamara during the night, and they just got 93 points and you tell me that this is enough? No, thank god its not and thank god for televoting preventing the 7th victory that daddy Bjorkman desperately wants.

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

The didn’t “steal” the spotlight, it was given to them because Jon Ola Sand didn’t do his job properly.

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

boring and false opinion. get your facts before you write

Esc1234
Esc1234
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

My facts are right , but I know, when facts indicate the favoritism of Sweden by the juries and Ebu they are lies ahahahaha

Denis
Denis
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

I wouldn’t call top 10 with televoting low, I wouldn’t. Most countries dont reach top 10 so it’s good. Now Malta, Germany and Northern Macedonia why don’t you mention their low score as opposed to pretending Sweden got low..
Also Sweden will obviously send what we like

esc1234
esc1234
4 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Malta Germany and North Macedonia are not so juries babies as Sweden is. If it was for them you would literally be first and second every year. And you dont deserve it :*

American ESC FAN
American ESC FAN
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

N. Macedonia won the Jury vote yet they flunked the televote as opposed to Sweden who managed to place 9th overall (as opposed to 12th)

Denis
Denis
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

Not jury babies? North Macedonia won the jury vote. And like 12th in televote. So who is the biggest jury bait?
But of course since North Macedonia isn’t Sweden you cant point that out can you?

Norway
Norway
4 years ago
Reply to  Denis

SWEDEN IS ALWAYS OVERRATING EVERY YEAR! IN THE JURIES!

Karen
Karen
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

John should have won this year, and that‘s the matter of the fact!

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Karen

That’s your “alternative fact”.

voix
voix
4 years ago
Reply to  Karen

oh here we go, swedish people thinking they should win every year

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

Boring opinion. Why dont you focus on some other country like UK and Portugal with horrible songs? We in Sweden dont care what you think. We cant chooose a woman if a man is better. Its year by year. not men vs women

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

yea can they send jon henrik fjallgren already

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
4 years ago

For the artists, I hope for a female act. Lisa Ajax, Wiktoria, Malou Prytz… so much potential in Sweden!

ESC Nils
ESC Nils
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCFan2009

Mariette, I hope she comes back and wins.

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCFan2009

malou prytz potential i have to laugh

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
4 years ago

How would you say? “She issa true queen” 😉

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
4 years ago

Luleå sounds awesome, it’s so northern xD I love the way they are changing the cities every year ^^

FYROM
FYROM
4 years ago

I hope the rumours about Salvador sobral competing are true!

bella
bella
4 years ago
Reply to  FYROM

Salvador in Melodifestivalen?

Alex
Alex
4 years ago
Reply to  FYROM

What rumors lol

voix
voix
4 years ago
Reply to  FYROM

heard a rumor that anna book will participate with a song called schlagger never dies

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  FYROM

Its not Fyrom. get over it. its over

lol
lol
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

omg are u in a bad mood or something

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  lol

Its North Macedonia. Tired of Fyrom. They know that FYROM dont existt no more

Esc1234
Esc1234
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

S*ut up felicia

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
4 years ago

It would be cool if they send something like a duo or a band to eurovision this year.

Sam
Sam
4 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

Sending a mixed duo with a song in Swedish and some folk elements could make a difference from what Sweden tends to choose. Something like Jon Henrik Fjällgren-style joining a female voice could help Sweden keep its top-5 record

Denis
Denis
4 years ago
Reply to  Sam

If we send something like that people would just say “oh they are copying Norway song from last year”. And everyone would see it as an attempt to cash in on Norway’ s sucees..
Besides there is nothing that shows Jon Henrik would end up top 5. I doubt very much he would. Swedes know that, that’s why we don’t choose him. Yes Norway did well but that is because they sang in English. And was more party than actual authenticity..

Thunder and lightning it's getting exciting
Thunder and lightning it's getting exciting
4 years ago

What is andra chansen???

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

A second chance to qualify for the final for those who placed 3rd and 4th in their semi finals, if the format is still the same.

Thunder and lightning it's getting exciting
Thunder and lightning it's getting exciting
4 years ago

Thank you so much!! 🙂

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

How about a song like “Ashes to Ashes” and a performer like Wiktoria?

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
4 years ago

Like give this girl her trophy already! I don’t want her to become the next Sanna Nielsen – always presenting us some quality, but never getting to the top spot. And moreover, we’d finally get a Swedish female act after 5 years of handsome Swedes going to Eurovision.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

I agree, but my wanting Wiktoria to go is predicated on having a good song. 🙂 About handsome Swedes: Robin Bengtsson was the last one I found cute.

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

Sanna did get to top spot, though…? I don’t want her to be the next Ace Wilder – quality entries, but the winner vibes wear off with repeated attempts.

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Yeah, on her 7th attempt…
I’m not a huge fan of Ace Wilder, but maybe with a nice enough banger she will manage to win? She wasn’t that far from doing it in 2016…