The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest concluded in spectacular fashion in Vienna on Saturday evening, delivering dramatic moments, surprise twists, and intense debate throughout the night. Bulgaria’s Dara emerged as the winner with her high-energy entry “Bangaranga,” coming first in term of both televoters and juries to secure a total of 516 points and claim the 2026 Eurovision crown.
The song was penned by an international team that included Dara herself, noted Greek songwriter Dimitris Kontopoulos, Romanian hitmaker Monoir, and Norwegian songwriter Anne Judith Stokke Wik, reflecting the increasingly global nature of Eurovision production.
Rounding out the top five were Israel, Romania, Australia, and Italy.
Israel’s entry, however, sparked controversy inside the arena, drawing boos and mixed reactions from sections of the audience when it briefly moved into first place during the voting sequence — a moment widely discussed across European broadcasters and international media coverage following the final.
For Greece, Akylas and his song “Ferto” earned 220 points from juries and televoters combined, ultimately finishing in 10th place. The result was widely viewed as falling short of expectations, with oddsmakers and Eurovision analysts having projected Greece as a potential top-five contender heading into the final.
Speaking shortly after the contest during state broadcaster ERT1’s post-show coverage, Akylas appeared visibly emotional about Greece’s final placing.
“I don’t know if I should apologize. Honestly, I’m truly disappointed because I didn’t want to let you down or make you sad,” he said.
“You brought me all the way here and supported me, and that means the most to me — that you gave me the opportunity to be part of this huge competition. I want you to know that throughout this journey I gave 100 percent, 200 percent of my strength and myself. I got sick, had my tonsils removed, and did everything I could to give the best performance possible. Of course I’m saddened by the result; maybe we were judged a little unfairly. But still: Greece, thank you so much for giving me the chance to live this experience. Thank you, and I love you all very much.”
Meanwhile, Cyprus’ representative Antigoni and her track “Jalla” finished in 19th place with 75 points. Despite the lower ranking, the Cypriot entry drew praise for its infectious rhythm and confident stage presentation, standing out visually during the grand final.
