Press releases

LISBON, 9 May (BelTA) – Belarus has not qualified for the Eurovision 2018 final after the first semi-final, BelTA has learnt.

The first ten finalists of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest were named in Lisbon, Portugal on 8 May. The qualifiers include Austria, Estonia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Israel, Czechia, Bulgaria, Albania, Finland, and Ireland.

Belarus’ entry ALEKSEEV who performed Forever did not make it to the final of the song contest that is due to take place on 12 May. Nineteen countries competed in the first semi-final. The participating countries and also Portugal, Spain and the UK had the right to vote in the first semi-final. The information about how these countries voted will be available after the grand final.

The Big Five countries – Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK, as well as the host country Portugal will skip the semi-finals. Thus, the number of the grand final participants will make 26.

Taking part in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest are 43 countries. Portugal is hosting the competition for the first time. The right to host the contest came after Salvador Sobral won the 2017 edition in Kyiv with his song Amar Pelos Dois. Salvador Sobral got a record high of 758 points.