• Eurovision Song Contest changes rules for countries at war

  Organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have updated their rules to state that if a country involved in an armed conflict wins the competition, it will be ineligible to host it the following year, BBC writes...

• Canada to debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027

  Canada will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 2027. It will become the first new participating country since 2015, when Australia joined the competition. This event follows a turbulent year in which several regular participants, including Ireland and Spain, boycotted the show due to Israel's participation, the BBC reports...

• Michał Stochel is the winner of Eurovision Young Musicians 2026

  Eurovision Young Musicians 2026, with 11 countries competing for the prize, ended in Yerevan…

• Bulgaria is the winner of Eurovision 2026

  Bulgaria is the winner of Eurovision 2016. The country was represented by DARA with the rhythmic song Bangaranga...

• LIVE: Eurovision 2026: Grand Final

  The Eurovision 2026 has kicked off in Vienna. 25 countries are competing for the desired title...

• Eurovision 2026: a dull contest of cheap satanism, second-rate vocals and plagiarism

  It is no longer even funny how much the world’s song contest, which this year marks its 70th anniversary, has turned into a parade of recycled ideas and weak vocals. Eurovision 2026 can truly be described as one of the weakest, most exhausting and artificial editions in recent years. An endless carnival of anxiety, eccentricity and identical “deep” numbers, where artists compete not with songs, but with the level of psychological discomfort they can provoke in the viewer...

• Iranian Embassy responds to Eurovision scandal: “No other flag can replace the beautiful flag of Armenia”

  “No other flag can replace the beautiful flag of Armenia. Armenia is a historical and civilizational nation, and Iran has always stood by its side,” the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran wrote in a post on X...

• Why Didn’t Armenia Qualify for the Eurovision Final — and Should We Even Keep Participating?

  For Armenia, however, amid all this noise, a different question is becoming increasingly urgent each year: not why the country cannot win, but whether it even understands what kind of contest it is participating in anymore...

Following the completion of the two Eurovision 2026 semi-finals, the contest is now approaching its final, and unfortunately for Armenia, the season ended earlier than many expected: the country’s representative, Simon, failed to qualify for the final. However, interest among Armenian audiences in the competition has not diminished. A survey conducted among viewers in Armenia shows that the public has not only formed its own favourites, but also developed a fairly clear understanding of what actually leads a country to victory in this controversial music contest today.

The demographic data from the survey indicates that interest in the competition is particularly high among younger audiences. The vast majority of respondents were young people: 58% of those surveyed were aged 18–25, while 20% belonged to the 25–35 age group. Teenagers were also strongly represented, with 18% of participants under the age of 18. Older age groups — 35–50 and over 50 — were in the minority, each accounting for only 1%.

The reliability of the survey appears relatively high, as it involved an audience well familiar with the contest. Almost 100% of respondents, with the exception of one participant, stated that they watch Eurovision every year, meaning their predictions are based on long-term viewing experience.

Participants also clearly indicated what, in their view, is required to win today. Only 1% considered vocals alone to be the key factor, while another 10% believed success depends solely on either staging or performer energy. However, an overwhelming majority — 78% — were convinced that victory today is only possible through a combination of several elements: strong vocals, high-quality staging, and the artist’s charisma.

Against the backdrop of the already completed semi-finals, the preferences of Armenian viewers regarding a potential Eurovision 2026 winner are particularly notable. The clear favourite of the survey was Finland, represented by violinist Linda Lampenius and singer Pete Parkkonen with the song “Liekinheitin” — this entry received 53.45% of the vote. Denmark followed at a considerable distance with 8.62%, while Israel rounded out the top three with 6.90%. Further down the list were Romania with 5.17%, France and Bulgaria with 3.45% each, and Croatia, Armenia and Albania with 1.72% each. Meanwhile, nearly 14% of respondents admitted they were still undecided, despite the already established list of finalists.

A separate question addressed voting during the show itself: 58% of respondents said they plan to vote in the contest final.

Particular attention in the survey was also given to Armenia’s representative, Simon. Even before the semi-finals, expectations for his result were relatively modest: the largest group of respondents — 28% — predicted that Armenia would place between 16th and 20th. Another 24% believed the country would not qualify from the semi-final at all. 22% expected a result in the 11th–15th range. The remaining responses were lower: 12% predicted 21st–25th places, 8% believed Armenia could reach the top ten, and only 6% considered a top-five finish possible.

Interestingly, the expected voting results differ noticeably from predictions about the overall winner. In the public vote simulation, first place was shared by Bulgaria and Finland with 15.56% each, followed by France with 11.11%. Denmark and Australia followed with 8.89% each, while Albania and Cyprus received 6.67% each. Romania, Israel and Armenia each received 4.44%. The list was closed by Serbia, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Moldova, each receiving 2.22%.

With only hours remaining until the Eurovision 2026 final, and despite an already established group of favourites, the contest continues to preserve the main quality that keeps millions of viewers watching: absolute unpredictability and drama. Now all that remains is to wait for the final and see how closely the predictions of Armenian audiences match Europe’s final choice.

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram