Since the detailed voting results of the semi-finals are only revealed after the Grand Final, it makes analysing the figures even more intriguing. We not only get to see which ten countries qualified, but also which entry won the semi-final, which came last, and—perhaps most interestingly—which narrowly missed out by placing 11th. It’s worth noting that all votes in the semi-finals were cast exclusively by the public, through televoting, SMS, or the official ESC app—no juries were involved. This change was introduced due to inconsistencies observed in jury voting in previous years. Of course, regional voting patterns, such as those influenced by neighbouring countries or diaspora communities, still play a role and are difficult to avoid. Additionally, there’s the “Rest of the World” (ROW) vote, allowing viewers from non-participating countries to cast their votes, though this too is entirely public with no jury input.

Semi-Final 1:

In the first semi-final, additional countries—Italy, Spain, and Switzerland—were permitted to vote. The distribution of the top 12 points was quite balanced, with even non-qualifying countries like Belgium, Cyprus, and Croatia receiving top marks.

Cyprus came heartbreakingly close to qualifying, earning 44 points—just two behind San Marino, which secured the final qualifying spot. Theo Evan’s high-energy performance had him seen by many as a dark horse, but he narrowly missed out. Croatia’s Marko Bošnjak received strong support from neighbouring Slovenia (12 points) and 8 points from Ukraine. However, his song, „Poison Cake“, was considered too unconventional. Following last year’s impressive second-place finish by Baby Lasagna, Croatia failed to recreate the same impact—“Poison Cake“ simply lacked the necessary wow factor to advance.

Belgium’s striking entry „Strobe Lights“ garnered 12 points from San Marino and 5 points from the Netherlands. Red Sebastian’s performance was intense and visually captivating, though some found it a bit over the top.

Slovenia’s emotional ballad performed by Klemen sadly failed to resonate with the wider European audience. Inspired by his wife’s battle with cancer—who also appeared on stage—his heartfelt performance deserved far more recognition. Even neighbouring Croatia awarded only 6 points.

One of the biggest disappointments of the semi-final was Azerbaijan’s entry, „Mamagama“. Despite an outstanding music video and a modern, atmospheric song, the energy didn’t translate on stage. The staging was poorly executed, and the singer appeared visibly nervous. Ultimately, Azerbaijan finished last with just 7 points, all from the San Marino jury.

Ukraine emerged as the clear winner of the first semi-final. The race for second through fifth place was tight, featuring Albania, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Estonia. In a pleasant surprise, both Iceland and San Marino managed to qualify for the Grand Final.

Semi-Final 2

In the second semi-final, three additional countries were eligible to vote—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—due to their status as part of the „Big 5.“ With 16 countries competing (as a result of the uneven number of participants across the two semi-finals), the voting results offered some intriguing surprises.

Israel dominated the semi-final, securing first place with a total of 203 points and receiving the maximum 12 points from 13 different countries. Impressively, Israel earned points from every voting nation. Latvia took a well-deserved second place with its unique and artistic entry, proving that Eurovision still celebrates musical diversity.

Finland’s provocative performer Erika Vikman landed in third place—still a strong result, though likely below expectations. Surprisingly, Austria’s JJ, who would later go on to win the Grand Final, only placed fifth in the semi-final and didn’t receive a single top score. This serves as a reminder that even a modest semi-final result can lead to ultimate victory.

Lithuania’s dystopian-themed entry and Armenia’s qualification were both unexpected, delighting fans of more unconventional Eurovision entries. Meanwhile, Australia suffered a frustrating déjà vu: for the second year in a row, they finished 11th in their semi-final and missed the Grand Final by a razor-thin margin—again, with the exact same number of points.

Czechia, considered a potential dark horse, failed to connect with viewers. Despite a promising music video, Adonxs’ live performance fell flat and disappointed fans. Ireland’s upbeat song also struggled to find traction with the European audience. Finally, despite exchanging top points with each other, the Balkan nations Serbia and Montenegro both failed to qualify.