Whilst we wait to find out who will be participating in Sweden’s Eurovision 2026 selection, Melfest, we also look into other aspects of the show. This time, we look at the hosts, where local media are reporting that Gina Dirawi and Hampus Nessvold will be hosting next year’s competition.
A duo to host the 66th edition of the competition?
The news was reported by Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, and would follow the duo set-up after Keyyo and Edvin hosted this year’s competition. The main name that stands out in the rumoured hosting line-up is Gina Dirawi, who currently holds the record for hosting the most broadcasts of the competition.
Recently, Gina has been hosting shows for Swedish network TV4, where she has hosted ‘Idol’ and ‘Bäst I Test’. Melodifestivalen-wise, Gina was a host in 2012 (alongside Helena Bergstrom and Sarah Dawn Finer), 2013 (alongside Danny Saucedo), and in 2016 (with a different host each week.)
Aftonbladet also reports that Gina will be joined by Swedish comedian Hampus Nessvold, who is most known for appearing in the Swedish comedy series ‘Terese I Kassan’. Aftonbladet’s informant mentions that Hampus is a good singer and could definitely do show numbers, something that has been an integral part in the recent editions of Mello.
At the time of writing, SVT is yet to comment on the reports, with the hosts of next year’s competition to be confirmed in due course.
What we know about Melodifestivalen 2026
The Swedish selection will span over six weeks, and will commence on January 31, 2026, and will run until March 7. The dates and cities
- Semi-Final 1 – January 31 – Linköping – Saab Arena
- Semi-Final 2 – February 7 – Göteborg – Scandinavium
- Semi-Final 3 – February 14 – Kristianstad – Kristianstad Arena
- Semi-Final 4 – February 21 – Malmö – Malmö Arena
- Semi-Final 5 – February 28 – Sundsvall – Gärdehov Arena
- Final – March 7 – Stockholm – Strawberry Arena
Sweden’s Eurovision Journey
In 1958, Sweden made their debut in the Eurovision Song Contest, with Alice Babs representing them with the song “Lilla stjärna” which placed fourth. Since their debut, the Scandinavian nation has managed to win seven times (1974, 1984, 1991, 1999, 2012, 2015 and 2023).
In 2025, Sweden were represented by Finnish group KAJ, singing “Bara bada bastu”. At the close of voting in the grand final, they had received 321 points, finishing in 4th place. 126 points were received by the juries, while the trio received 195 points by televoters.
What do you think of this latest development? Let us know in the comments or on social media. Be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik-Tok, Threads and Bluesky as we prepare for Eurovision 2026!
News Source: Aftonbladet
Photo Credit (L-R): Johan Paulin/SVT & Mattias Ahlm
Euan T