41 countries are officially confirmed for Eurovision 2021 and we already know 20 of the acts who will be performing in Rotterdam. But with some countries, there’s still a lot we don’t know.
Make no mistake — things are different this year. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused economic disruption around the globe. This has affected some of the national broadcasters that are competing in Eurovision, with decreases in government funding and — for commercial broadcasters — drops in advertising revenue.
Some broadcasters may also have new priorities — should they internally select one artist or should they hold a national final to support more artists, many of whom have not played live gigs for many months?
And the pandemic may also mean different focuses for broadcasters — Eurovision 2021 may not currently be something some broadcasters are immediately focusing on.
Let’s take a look at the countries who are yet to reveal much about their Eurovision 2021 participation.
Eurovision 2021: Countries that are keeping quiet
At least 20 countries have invited their 2020 act back and other countries will select a new artist. Some are using their regular national final, while others are internally selecting. But some countries have said very little about how they will select their act for Rotterdam.
🇦🇲 Armenia
Broadcaster AMPTV has not yet said how it will select its act for Rotterdam. Last year it held national final Depi Evratesil, however in recent years, Armenia has also internally selected their act. But it’s not unusual to have not heard much at this stage — last year, entries for Depi Evratesil 2020 didn’t open until early November.
🇧🇾 Belarus
Belarus was on the EBU’s list of confirmed acts for 2021, but broadcaster BTRC has not said anything about their participation. The broadcaster experienced staff changes following the political turmoil in Belarus, and so far have only confirmed that 2020 act VAL will not be going to Rotterdam. The broadcaster is, however, currently busy with their Junior Eurovision 2020 entry.
🇩🇰 Denmark
Back in April, broadcaster DR spoke about the 2021 edition of its national final Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. However, at the time DR also said they would start planning the national final “only after the corona crisis is over” — something that is arguably still a long way off. To date, DR has not released any further details about DMGP 2021. Last year, the format of DMGP 2020 was announced in early October and entries were accepted until early November.
🇮🇪 Ireland
Broadcaster RTÉ has not yet revealed anything about its plans for Eurovision 2021. However, in May, Ireland’s 2020 act Lesley Roy said that RTÉ had tentatively invited her back — but only if she manages to come up with the right song.
🇱🇹 Lithuania
In late March, broadcaster LRT said that Lithuania would again hold their national final Pabandom iš naujo and that 2020 winners THE ROOP would get a pass to the grand final. However, to date no details of the 2021 national final have been confirmed, nor has THE ROOP said if they will be competing. Entries for last season’s national final opened in late September and closed in early December.
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
Broadcaster MKRTV has not given any details about how they will select their act, however since 2016 they have always used internal selection.
🇵🇱 Poland
Broadcaster TVP has not yet said how it will select its act, nor if 2020 singer Alicja Szemplińska will get a return ticket to Rotterdam. However, TVP is currently busy with hosting Junior Eurovision 2020. Last season, Poland did not announce its plans to use national final Szansa na Sukces until as late as January.
🇷🇺 Russia
Broadcaster Channel One — one of Russia’s two Eurovision broadcasters — has confirmed they will again be organising Russia’s entry for Eurovision 2021. There’s no word on how the entry will be selected, but since 2013 Russia has internally selected its Eurovision act, usually with little fanfare before the artist announcement.
🇷🇸 Serbia
There’s no word on whether broadcaster RTS will use their national final Beovizija or internally select. Tabloid reports claiming that 2020 act Hurricane would represent Serbia at Eurovision 2021 were earlier refuted by the girl band themselves. Speaking to wiwibloggs in June, the group’s publicist said: “We do not yet have official information about this from [RTS].” They also said that they expected to know about Eurovision 2021 in “September or October”.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Atypically, the BBC have not yet said anything about the UK’s participation in Rotterdam. However, The 2020 series of popular entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing debuted a month later than usual, meaning that the BBC’s publicity team is currently busy promoting that show and may not have the time to focus on Eurovision right now.
But with all these countries, no news is not a sign of bad news. We’re expecting to hear more news from these broadcasters in coming weeks.
What do you think? Do you expect to see all these countries in Rotterdam? How should they select their act for Eurovision? Tell us your thoughts below!
41 Countries….Brilliant! I would like the UK to have a ‘nation decides’ style show again. I am a UK composer/teacher and I have written a song. I would like to enter it as a UK entry in 2021 Eurovision. So c’mon BBC, start accepting public song submissions. My song is sitting on my computer ready for submission. It’s a great song (I’m bound to say that) composed with 40 years of Eurovision experience. It is light hearted and good fun which is just what we need in the world’s current situation. The song is entitled ‘You’re a vision’……..can’t wait to… Read more »
For all we know, they might be sending the winner of ‘Little Mix – The Search’, James Newman again or someone else for the UK. Just wait and see.
Belarus and UK are in!
I feel we are heading back to 2013/4 levels and may need to expect a few withdrawals from these countries. Not gonna be a surprise if Belarus pulls out obviously but would be a little sad as they’ve never done so before since debuting in 2004. I won’t feel much remorse if Poland withdraws given their current political situation and how a jury mess-up cost their narrow qualification to the final in 2019. Armenia is also going through political/social turmoil so their withdrawal won’t come as a surprise. Serbia, North Macedonia & Russia could pull out at the last minute… Read more »
41 countries! What a relief!… (or is somebody missing?)
same exact list as last year… thank heavens for that!
I would have liked a returnee. I don’t want an identical graphic design, even though turning a slogan of heartbreak into one of celebration Is a good idea. However, it would be hard to do the postcard concept, some acts won’t return, there’s no Think About Things or Chains On you, and the draw will differ.
I think the postcards will be the 2016/2017 variety of showing off the artist in their home country doing things. Maybe the 2021 acts participate in their own local customs? Would be a nice domestic twist on the usual postcard and more suitable for these times.
It’s just so rare the UK have still yet to say anything. The BBC are by no means the earliest to confirm, but it’s late October and they’ve never left it this long. People say the UK can’t withdraw because they’re in the “big 5”, however they managed without Italy up until 2011.
I hope we confirm but it’s just so odd!
i guess they kept quiet to avoid annoying locals dragging them for thinkin of eurovision during a pandemic
Oh well, guess what. Eurovision Just released the full list of participating countries.
What I expect:
UK participating, Belarus withdrawing (I mean, they almost missed JESC 2020); Serbia, Russia, Ireland and N. Macedonia internally selecting planned 2020 hopefuls; Denmark and Lithuania holding national selection as usual. About Poland and Armenia I have no clue.
I am sure Armenia and Poland, who have very flexible methods, would do the same as Russia, Serbia etc and do first refusal. I would, however, like both to use a public selection of the song. I also acknowledge that Armenia might not have chosen Athena – singer and writer of my fave song in the 2020 class – yet due to the gulf in how Armenia and her native Greece have handled Covid meaning it is hard to see her travelling over until the new year. However, surely they can let her song be selected overseas (ie Athens or… Read more »
speaking of Strictly, with ESC related song, Dadi’s think about things was used for cha cha cha in its first week show
RTÉ is usually very quiet about Eurovision any way so I wouldn’t read too much into it. Probably won’t hear anything there until late February.
We may lose some countries, depending on how this virus plays out. But I’m hopeful that my country, Ireland can “Open Up” at last.
I’d say UK and Poland are definite too. Out of that list, the only country I can’t see participating is Belarus, considering what’s happening there at the moment.
I liked Story of My Life, so I would definitely like her back.
When is the full list of participating countries announced?
Early to mid November 2020.
You mean today right now? (It just got released lol)
Oh my!! This was definitely unexpected.
I hope that Armenia in particular, and also UK (my country), Serbia, Poland, Russia and NM keep the existing acts, but I would really like Armenia to have some way of letting fans decide on the entry, whether Athena has a Depi Evratesil selection for her song or just a poll on her stories, which I have checked regularly since I was taken aback by Chains. I also want the possibility it would be hard for her to return to armenia until the new year to be taken into account, and this selection for her (used in 2008, 2011 and… Read more »
Turkeuy and Hungary still silent too, Italt maybe sanremo festival held in june 2021
Turkey usually earlier had said no, but now that one TRT director whom wants them to return, hmmm
and Eurovision twitter announcing some big news for ESC2021 today
So the thing about Lithuania. They said at the end of one article they are expected to (they actually said “will” but no submission window opening as of now is kinda suspicious if I do say so myself) host the NF early next year (around January, as per usual). But I don’t really know if that’s really what they will stick to, if they’re not opening entries submission so soon as expected…
That’s what I’ve noticed recently and I’ve been talking about this a lot. Compared to other countries planning to do national finals, there has really been no news about Lithuania’s national final since the day it was announced, March 31. Estonia announced their NF plans around the same time as Lithuania, but unlike the latter, we have specific dates and an open call for entries right now for Estonia. Seven months is a long time to go without any new information, and things can change within that span of time. Except for Denmark, every country with planned national finals has… Read more »
They just opened entries!
Honestly, I expect both UK and Belarus returning, but of course, I cannot be sure. It seems like Belarus remaining in JESC is a good sign. The thing I have no idea about is whether they’ll choose their act internally or via NF. Belarus has been consistent in the last years going through a selection, but picking internally this year might be not only less costly, but assure that their representative is in the line with what government wants them to say. I know, it’s icky to think that way, but I’m afraid it’s so as of now. The UK… Read more »
I hope we Can have a meticulous selection show with international juries and better guests one day.
Speaking of Armenia, they are dead silent in JESC 2020.
Georgia also said they’re revealing their act in about two weeks before JESC 2020 event (considering fair enough that the event performances will be prerecorded).
It’s pretty obvious why. They have been in a war more recently.
I don’t know if a Big 5 country can even really withdraw in this day and age…so it’s just really Belarus whose participation is ambiguous from the class of 2020.
Well given how the UK has mocked it for so many years, and has the “we are over this” attitude, I wouldn’t be so quick to think that the UK wouldn’t withdraw. I hope not, but still.
Yeah, but a sort of “distance makes the heart grow fonder” effect kinda kicked in after the contest was canceled this year. The UK were all over the tribute specials and whatnot. They had some of the highest viewing numbers for Europe Shine a Light.
And people thought the 2020 song was a step in the right direction. Moreover, for the last few years Graham’s commentary has become less mocking- there’s growing acknowledgement of the contest’s legitimacy in the UK. Also, I think if the UK withdraw, they may have to compete in the semis upon returning.
This is true. The UK also has the longest unbroken streak of participations at the contest. At this point, withdrawing might just feel weird.
My hope is that it’s because they’re finally giving in and letting England, Scotland & Wales compete separately 😛
that still means some of them will compete in semis because I guess England is the one state where the most is contributed to ESC budgetwise, out of the other ones?
Yes that would’ve been the case. UK in general is England-centrical, as it is with most countries comprised of several countries – one always takes the center stage. Also most of the entries have been English, so nothing would really change for them. I think their ego just won’t let them accept the fact that Scotland would probably do better than them (Wales, I’m not so sure of), that’s why they’re not letting it happen. Plus, it might potentially pour more fuel on the secession issue (like it did with Serbia & Montenegro).
A British-styled Melfest or Sanremo is very unlikely to happen for the time being… BBC are tight on budget and it’s very hard to produce a brand new entertainment show that’s a ratings winner, plus UK haven’t held big national finals with such enthusiasm since the 1980s and You Decide as a format was heavily flawed, especially for not releasing any voting info in the results other than the winner (BBC also have this daft policy of not publishing full voting data on their shows including Strictly) Bulgaria, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Cyprus have learned in recent years that internal… Read more »