Germany’s new Eurovision broadcaster SWR has shared additional details about how it plans to present the national selection and related programming for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna.
Das Deutsche Finale 2026 and extra programming
SWR has confirmed that Eurovision Song Contest – Das Deutsche Finale 2026, the national final to choose Germany’s Eurovision representative, will air on 28 February 2026.
Additionally, to the main national final broadcast, SWR will produce two supporting programs: Inside ESC 2026 – Der Weg ins Finale, which is a series of 1–3 episodes focusing on behind-the-scenes preparations for the 70th contest in Vienna. This will offer fans an inside look at the buildup to the competition. Also, 70 Jahre ESC – Die Doku: A 90-minute documentary celebrating 70 years of the Eurovision Song Contest, set to air in May 2026. This retrospective will explore the contest’s history and cultural impact.
Germany’s Eurovision History
Germany has been part of Eurovision since the beginning, debuting in 1956. Their debut entries were Walter Andreas Schwarz’s “Im Wartesaal zum großen Glück” and Freddy Quinn’s “So geht das jede Nacht”. Germany has appeared at every Eurovision except for 1996, which means they have been at more Contests than any other country. They have a long history of success in Eurovision, finishing in the top 3 an impressive 13 times. Germany has won the contest twice: Nicole won in 1982 with her song “Ein bißchen Frieden”, taking home 161 points. Their second win came in 2010, when Lena scored 246 points with her song “Satellite”.
Germany’s most recent Eurovision entry was Abor & Tynna with “Baller”. As Germany is part of the Big 5, they automatically qualified for the Grand Final. In the Final, the song received 151 points and finished in 15th place.
Are you excited? 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: ESC Kompakt
Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU
Rory Gannon