An average of 84,000 viewers watched live on ORF 1 as the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Semi-Final Allocation Draw took place yesterday.<\/p>\n
The Semi-Final Allocation Draw for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 was watched by an average audience of 84,000 viewers on ORF 1 yesterday. The event was broadcast live on ORF 1 and on Austrian broadcasters online streaming platform ORF ON. Overall, the show was the seventeenth most watched broadcast on ORF 1 on Monday, with a share of 4% of viewers in its time slot.<\/p>\n
The Semi-Final Allocation Draw and Host City Insignia took placeat Vienna City Hall. The event was hosted by Alexandra Maritza Wachter and Ces\u00e1r Sampson. Alexandra is a news presenter and Ces\u00e1r is best known for having finished third for Austria at Eurovision 2018.<\/p>\n
Just before the Allocation Draw itself, the official handover ceremony took place. Conradin Cramer, president of the cantonal government of Basel-Stadt presented a Friendship Gift and handed over the responsibility of hosting Eurovision to Michael Ludwig, Mayor and Governor of Vienna. The gift was a carnival lantern that was specifically created for Vienna, featuring a jester and JJ last years Eurovision winner.<\/p>\n
The Allocation Draw was comprised of two parts. The first part of the draw determined which semi-final each of the five pre-qualified countries (France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and this year\u2019s host country Austria) will broadcast, vote and perform in.<\/p>\n
The second part of the draw determined in which semi-final and in which half of the respective semi-final the other 30 participating countries will perform. As has been the case since 2013, the exact running order will be determined by the show\u2019s producers later once all the songs are selected.<\/p>\n
You can see the outcome of the Semi-Final Allocation Draw here: <\/p>\n