Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in a dazzling final gala at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna on Saturday. This country’s representative, Dara, was the favourite of jury and the audience. The show was broadcast live by Bulgarian National Television.
Dara’s song, Bangaranga, collected 516 points and secured Bulgaria’s first ever win in the 70-year-old song contest.
It was also the first time the juries and the public have chosen the same winner in almost 10 years, since Kyiv 2017, according to Eurovision statistics. It also shows that Bangaranga won the Contest with a 173-point lead over the song in second place, which makes it the biggest winning margin ever seen at Eurovision.
Bulgaria this year made its return to the Eurovision Song Contest after a three-year absence, having withdrawn from the competition between 2023 and 2025.
On Saturday night, Israel came in second with 343 points, while Romania finished third.
Bulgaria’s representative was not among the favourites for the win and the victory caused a furore in her home country.
The votes from the juries of the participating countries determined Bulgaria as the winner with the highest number of points – 204 – giving it a significant lead over the countries in second place, Australia and Denmark, both with 165 points. The juries of Malta, Australia, Denmark, and Lithuania awarded Bulgaria the maximum 12 points. Bulgaria gave its own 12 points to Malta.
The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest gathered around 10,000 spectators in the arena in Vienna and millions more in front of television screens around the world, the hosts of the ceremony announced, noting that 1,789 songs have been performed throughout the history of the contest.
Songs in 23 languages were performed on the grand final stage by representatives from 25 countries.
Back in Sofia on Sunday, Dara was met by a crowd of cheering fans. At Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, she was also welcomed by Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, members of the Bulgarian National Television management board and numerous fans. The aircraft was greeted with a water salute upon landing.
In her first statement in Sofia, Dara said: “We have done something great for Bulgarian music, and I hope this sends a message that Bulgaria’s performers and artists deserve stronger support.”
“We are an exceptionally talented nation that will continue to receive more and more attention,” she added.
Bulgarian National Television Director General Milena Milotinova said the whole world is talking about Bulgaria. Speaking at Sofia Airport, she said a person is as big as their dreams and achievements. She stressed that next year marks the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria’s EU accession and that the country is expected to host Eurovision. The music event will likely take place in Sofia, but other Bulgarian cities have also expressed interest in hosting, she said. Bulgaria’s Dara Wins Eurovision Contest 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-05-16 23:58:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law