ORF’s programme director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz has confirmed new information about Austria’s national selection for next year’s Contest.
A televised selection process returns
Speaking to Austrian radio station Hitradio Ö3, Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz shared that the national selection show to determine Austria’s entry for Eurovision 2026 will be broadcast in late February.
“There will be a national selection show again after a long break. A big TV evening with lots of audience participation,” she said, adding: “An internal preselection will be carried out, and about ten acts will compete in the ORF TV show.”
The selection show marks the first time since 2016 that Austria will use a national final to choose its Eurovision act – a change that was first announced last weekend.
As with the Eurovision Song Contest itself, the winner will be decided through a combination of jury votes and public voting.
Artists, singers and bands interested in participating can email their submissions to: ESC2026.casting@orf.at
Austria’s Eurovision Journey
In 1957, Austria made their debut into the Eurovision Song Contest, where Bob Martin represented the landlocked nation with the song “Wohin, kleines Pony?”. At the close of voting, it managed to place 10th overall. Since their debut, Austria has participated 56 times (being in the final 49 times), and have won the competition on two occasions in 1966 and 2014.
For 2025, JJ was internally selected to represent Austria with their song “Wasted Love”. In Basel, JJ qualified for the final, where he then went on to win the contest after receiving 436 points from the Juries and Televotes combined.
Are you excited to see Austria return to a national selection show? Who would you like to see on the line-up? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News source: Hitradio Ö3
Photo credit: Alma Bengtsson / EBU
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