Bulgaria Comes Out of Nowhere to Win Eurovision, Israel Is Runner-Up
Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, marking its first victory in the competition. The country topped Israel in a dramatic final, with Bulgaria's entry 'Bangaranga' receiving both the jury and popular votes. Romania secured third place, while several pre-final favorites did not make it to the top three.
- ▪Bulgaria achieved its first Eurovision win after joining the contest in 2005.
- ▪Israel finished in second place, having been a participant since 1973 and seeking its fifth title.
- ▪The event faced security challenges, with five countries boycotting Israel's participation.
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Eurovision Song Contest 2026 at Wiener Stadthalle on May 12, 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Christian Bruna/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Bulgaria won a raucous, contentious Eurovision on Saturday, topping Israel in what turned into both a musical and geopolitical nailbiter in its final moments. Sitting outside the top oddsmakers’ top five coming into Saturday’s final in Vienna, Bulgaria improbably won both the overall jury vote and the popular vote among the 25 finalists thanks to pop star Dara’s dance-hall thumper “Bangaranga” to collect its first-ever Eurovision title.
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