Eurovision 2026 at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna runs across three live broadcast shows between May 12 and May 16, 2026. All shows start at 21:00 CEST (Central European Summer Time). If you want to watch live — and especially if you want to vote during the show — you need to know exactly when the broadcast starts in your timezone. Here is the complete guide.
The Three Live Broadcast Shows
| Show | Date | Start Time (CEST) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-Final 1 | Tuesday, May 12 | 21:00 | ~2h 25m |
| Semi-Final 2 | Thursday, May 14 | 21:00 | ~2h 25m |
| Grand Final | Saturday, May 16 | 21:00 | ~4h |
Each semi-final is scheduled for approximately 2 hours 25 minutes — 15 songs plus opening, interval, voting, and results. The Grand Final is significantly longer, closer to 4 hours, because it features 25 competing entries plus extended voting, jury point announcements, and the winner's reprise.
UK Start Times: 20:00 BST
The UK is one hour behind Vienna during Eurovision week (Vienna is on CEST, UK is on BST). Start times for UK viewers:
- Semi-Final 1: Tuesday May 12, 20:00 BST (BBC One + iPlayer)
- Semi-Final 2: Thursday May 14, 20:00 BST (BBC One + iPlayer)
- Grand Final: Saturday May 16, 20:00 BST (BBC One + iPlayer)
The Grand Final ends around midnight UK time, with the winner announced around 23:50 BST. Voting for UK viewers opens after the first competing song (around 20:10 BST) and closes approximately 15 minutes after the final competing performance.
US Start Times
The United States spans multiple timezones, and Eurovision airs on Peacock:
Eastern Time (New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, Miami)
- Semi-Final 1: Tuesday May 12, 15:00 EDT
- Semi-Final 2: Thursday May 14, 15:00 EDT
- Grand Final: Saturday May 16, 15:00 EDT
Central Time (Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Nashville)
- Semi-Final 1: Tuesday May 12, 14:00 CDT
- Semi-Final 2: Thursday May 14, 14:00 CDT
- Grand Final: Saturday May 16, 14:00 CDT
Mountain Time (Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix)
- Semi-Final 1: Tuesday May 12, 13:00 MDT
- Semi-Final 2: Thursday May 14, 13:00 MDT
- Grand Final: Saturday May 16, 13:00 MDT
Pacific Time (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland)
- Semi-Final 1: Tuesday May 12, 12:00 PDT
- Semi-Final 2: Thursday May 14, 12:00 PDT
- Grand Final: Saturday May 16, 12:00 PDT
US viewers watching on Peacock can stream on-demand replays immediately after broadcast. Live voting via esc.vote (Rest of World) opens for US viewers during the broadcast windows.
Australian Start Times: 05:00 AEST (Next Morning)
Australia's timezone creates the biggest viewing challenge. Vienna at 21:00 CEST is 05:00 AEST the next morning:
- Semi-Final 1: Wednesday May 13, 05:00 AEST
- Semi-Final 2: Friday May 15, 05:00 AEST
- Grand Final: Sunday May 17, 05:00 AEST
SBS traditionally broadcasts the live show at these early morning times and then replays the Grand Final in primetime on Sunday evening for viewers who prefer normal viewing hours.
For Western Australian viewers (AWST), the times are two hours earlier — 03:00 AWST.
New Zealand Start Times: 07:00 NZST (Next Morning)
- Semi-Final 1: Wednesday May 13, 07:00 NZST
- Semi-Final 2: Friday May 15, 07:00 NZST
- Grand Final: Sunday May 17, 07:00 NZST
European Start Times
Most of Central Europe is on CEST during May, matching Vienna's time:
CEST (Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Warsaw)
- All three shows: 21:00 local time
EEST (Greece, Finland, Baltic states, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus)
- All three shows: 22:00 local time (1 hour ahead of Vienna)
Finnish viewers watching their country's entry perform at slot 5 in Semi-Final 1 can expect Finland's performance at approximately 22:45-22:50 EEST (21:45-21:50 CEST).
GMT (Portugal, Iceland)
- All three shows: 19:00 GMT (2 hours behind Vienna during summer time)
India Start Times: 00:30 IST (Next Morning)
- Semi-Final 1: Wednesday May 13, 00:30 IST
- Semi-Final 2: Friday May 15, 00:30 IST
- Grand Final: Sunday May 17, 00:30 IST
Japan & Korea Start Times: 04:00 JST/KST (Next Morning)
- Semi-Final 1: Wednesday May 13, 04:00 JST/KST
- Semi-Final 2: Friday May 15, 04:00 JST/KST
- Grand Final: Sunday May 17, 04:00 JST/KST
Brazil Start Times: 16:00 BRT
- Semi-Final 1: Tuesday May 12, 16:00 BRT
- Semi-Final 2: Thursday May 14, 16:00 BRT
- Grand Final: Saturday May 16, 16:00 BRT
South Africa Start Times: 21:00 SAST
South Africa's SAST is identical to Vienna's CEST during the contest period:
- All three shows: 21:00 SAST
Running Order Timing (Approximate)
Want to know when a specific performance happens? Here is the approximate timing within the Grand Final:
| Segment | Approximate Time (CEST) |
|---|---|
| Show opens | 21:00 |
| Host introductions | 21:05-21:15 |
| First performance | 21:15 |
| Interval act | Approximately 23:00 |
| Voting window opens | Approximately 22:30 |
| Voting window closes | Approximately 00:15 |
| Jury points announcement | 00:15-00:50 |
| Televote reveal | 00:50-01:00 |
| Winner announced | Approximately 01:00 |
| Winner's reprise | 01:05 |
The winner is typically announced around midnight UK time (01:00 CEST).
Voting Window Timing
Voting windows are tight and timezone-dependent:
- Voting opens: Immediately after the first competing song performs
- Voting stays open: For the duration of the remaining performances
- Voting closes: Approximately 15 minutes after the final competing performance
- Results announced: Shortly after voting closes
For UK viewers (BST), Grand Final voting opens around 20:15 BST and closes around 23:15 BST. For US Eastern viewers (EDT), voting opens around 15:15 EDT and closes around 18:15 EDT.
Pre-Show & Opening Ceremony Times
The Eurovision 2026 week begins before the live broadcasts:
- Turquoise Carpet & Opening Ceremony: Sunday May 10, approximately 16:00-21:00 CEST at Rathausplatz, Vienna
- Jury Grand Final (not broadcast publicly): Friday May 15, 21:00 CEST
Setting Reminders
If you want to watch all three shows live, here are the quick conversions for major markets:
- UK: Every show at 20:00 BST (May 12, 14, 16)
- US East: Every show at 15:00 EDT (May 12, 14, 16)
- US West: Every show at 12:00 PDT (May 12, 14, 16)
- Australia: Every show at 05:00 AEST (May 13, 15, 17)
- New Zealand: Every show at 07:00 NZST (May 13, 15, 17)
- Vienna/Central Europe: Every show at 21:00 CEST (May 12, 14, 16)
Set calendar alerts ahead of time — phone, app, or calendar — because the voting windows are tight and easy to miss.
Watching and Betting in Real Time
For viewers combining watching with betting, Betfred provides live odds throughout each show. The fastest odds movements happen during the voting window, when performances have concluded and viewers are casting votes. Early betting leans on pre-show analysis, but live betting allows reaction to actual performances as they happen.
Check Betfred for the latest Eurovision 2026 markets across all three shows.
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Related Articles
- Where to Watch Eurovision 2026
- Eurovision 2026 Viewing Guide
- How to Vote at Eurovision 2026
- Turquoise Carpet Opening Ceremony
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does Eurovision 2026 start in the UK?
All three live shows start at 20:00 BST. The Grand Final on May 16 typically runs until about midnight UK time.
What time is the Eurovision 2026 Grand Final in the US?
15:00 EDT on the East Coast, 14:00 CDT Central, 13:00 MDT Mountain, and 12:00 PDT Pacific.
What time is Eurovision 2026 in Australia?
All three shows air live at 05:00 AEST on the following morning. SBS typically schedules a primetime Sunday evening replay of the Grand Final.
When does Eurovision 2026 voting open?
Immediately after the first competing song is performed. Voting closes approximately 15 minutes after the final performance.