Eurovision 2026. Moldova opens the first semifinal / When does Romania enter the competition

Eurovision 2026 starts today, May 12, in Vienna, with the first semifinal, and Moldova opens the show with "Viva, Moldova!", a moment designed to be visually explosive and set the tone for the evening. Romania enters the race on May 14, in the second semifinal, with "Choke Me," the song by Alexandra Căpitănescu, which has become one of the most commented moments of the edition – from the scandal surrounding the message to the real chances in the betting houses' rankings.

Moldova opens Eurovision 2026

The first semifinal takes place on Tuesday, May 12, at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, and brings together 15 countries competing for a place in Saturday's final. According to the official entry order announced by EBU, Moldova is first in the line-up, followed by Sweden – Felicia – "My System", Croatia – Lelek – "Andromeda", Greece – Akylas – "Ferto", Portugal – Bandidos do Cante – "Rosa", Georgia – Bzikebi – "On Replay", Italy – Marco Mengoni – "Fire in My Veins", Finland – Linda Lampenius & Pete Parkkonen – "Liekinheitin", Montenegro – Tamara Živković – "Nova Zora", Estonia – Vanilla Ninja – "Too Epic To Be True", Israel – Noam Bettan – "Michelle", Germany – Tokio Hotel – "Higher Ground", Belgium – Essyla – "Dancing on the Ice", Lithuania – Lion Ceccah – "Sólo Quiero Más", San Marino – Senhit – "Superstar", Poland – Alicja – "Pray" and Serbia – Lavina – "Kraj Mene".

The opening of a semifinal is a significant role: the advantage is maximum visibility, while the disadvantage comes from the risk that, by the end, the audience may be overwhelmed by other moments. For Moldova, a country that has consistently relied on memorable shows and reinterpreted folk elements, starting from position 1 is also a statement of intent: to remain "stuck" in the viewer's retina from the very first minutes.

Who is Satoshi and what does "Viva, Moldova!" look like

The representative of the Republic of Moldova is Satoshi (Vlad Sabajuc), a 27-year-old rapper and composer from Cahul, who will take the stage in Vienna with the song "Viva, Moldova!"

Euronews Romania and the Moldovan press describe him as an emerging name, with collaborations with very visible artists in the Romanian space – Irina Rimes, Carla's Dreams, and Guess Who – which has contributed to raising his profile even across the Prut. In an interview with the platform That Eurovision Site, Satoshi says that for him it is "important to feel authentic" on stage and that he aims to inspire young musicians from Moldova to believe that they can reach the Eurovision stage even from small towns like Cahul. The staging, as described in reactions from rehearsals, relies on neon colors, dancers, costumes inspired by reinterpreted traditional attire, and intense choreography, with a lot of interaction with the camera. In reactions published by blogs and YouTube channels dedicated to Eurovision, many fans describe Satoshi's live performance as "clean" and "very charismatic," appreciating both the energy and the way he represents his country on stage.

How Moldova is viewed by betting houses

Betting houses do not place Moldova among the major favorites to win the trophy, but they recognize its status as a possible "dark horse" – a country that can rise significantly if it catches a viral moment in the semifinal. In the aggregated Eurovisionworld ranking, Satoshi with "Viva, Moldova!" is around places 15-16 for the final victory, with about 1% chances and odds that, depending on the operator, vary between 81 and 300. An important detail for Chișinău is the dynamics of these odds: in recent weeks, several betting platforms have noted that Moldova is among the countries with the most new bets placed, and the odds have shortened slightly – a sign that fan interest is growing. On social media, fans praise the "crazy energy" of the song and say it is "exactly the kind of good chaos that Eurovision needs to open," which supports the idea that Moldova could benefit from generous televoting, even if the juries will be more reserved.

Romania and Alexandra Căpitănescu: entry into the competition

Romania takes the stage in Vienna on Thursday, May 14, in the second semifinal. The entry order places Alexandra Căpitănescu in third position, after Bulgaria and Azerbaijan and before Luxembourg and the Czech Republic, in a dense semifinal, with strong regional neighbors and tight competition for the ten qualifying spots. "Choke Me" brings a strong contrast to Moldova's colorful explosion: an intense dark-pop, with rock accents and a much darker visual aesthetic, focused on tension and vulnerability. At the pre-parties in Madrid, London, or Nordic events, Alexandra has drawn attention through her voice and presence, with many commentators noting that her live performances have confirmed the high level of difficulty of the song and her ability to deliver it without compromises.

Who is Alexandra Căpitănescu

Alexandra Căpitănescu comes from the pop/alternative area and has gained experience in festivals and music competitions before entering the national selection for Eurovision. In the portrait published by the specialized press, she is described as a name from the new wave, with a well-defined artistic identity, accustomed to blending dark themes with a sincere discourse about vulnerability and toxic relationships. "Choke Me" continues this direction: a song built on an emotional crescendo, with a chorus that relies on a demanding vocal range and a performance where expressiveness matters as much as technique. In reactions on YouTube, many Eurovision-specialized vloggers describe Alexandra as "one of the strongest vocalists of the edition" and "the kind of voice that can elevate an already good song to another level live."

The "Choke Me" scandal: from the national selection to Vienna

The controversy surrounding the song "Choke Me" began during the national selection, where part of the audience and commentators felt that the imagery and title go too far for a show watched by families. Criticism targeted both the lyrics – perceived by some as romanticizing abusive dynamics – and the initial staging proposals, where the choreography and certain frames suggested an ambiguous power relationship. After Romania was announced as a participant in Vienna, the discussion moved to the international level. Activist groups and online campaigns have called on EBU to intervene, citing the risk that the message could be perceived by young people as glamorizing suffering and physical or emotional suffocation, especially in the absence of a clear context. Petitions and open letters circulated on social media, demanding a change of concept or even disqualification of the song.

How EBU reacted and what changed

EBU did not go for disqualification, but treated the "Choke Me" case as a test for the new rules regarding lyrical and visual content. According to publicly communicated information, after an internal analysis and discussions with TVR, the organizers concluded that the song remains within the limits of the regulations if it is clearly assumed as a metaphor. Despite the intense title, the artist says, "Choke Me" is not about physical harm or violence. Alexandra Căpitănescu explained that the idea of "being choked" represents emotional pressure and inner conflict.

At the same time, EBU requested adjustments to the staging: softening certain moments of choreography, modifying the TV framing, and clarifications in communication, so that the message of emancipation and overcoming abuse is evident. Officials emphasized that the rules do not aim to censor heavy themes, but the way they are represented, stressing the responsibility of broadcasters not to turn violence into a spectacular element.

Romania's chances at betting houses

Despite the scandal – or perhaps also due to the additional visibility – Romania stands well at betting houses. In the Eurovisionworld ranking, which aggregates the main odds, Alexandra Căpitănescu is, before the semifinals, in the range of places 6-10 for the trophy, with about 3% probability of victory. In a top dominated by Finland, Greece, and Denmark, Romania is in the immediate following group of "contenders" that can rise significantly if Thursday's show is impeccable. The odds for "Choke Me" range, depending on the operator, between approximately 23 and 40, a level that suggests not only a likely qualification for the final but also potential for a top 10 on Saturday.

The trend is currently upward: after pre-parties and live appearances, Romania has gained ground in the preferences of bettors, and commentators note that the song has the ideal profile for televoting – intense, memorable, and easily recognizable after just a few seconds. It remains to be seen how much the juries will penalize or reward the message and the artistic risk taken.

What is new at Eurovision 2026

The edition in Vienna marks the implementation of a comprehensive package of regulatory changes, announced at the end of 2025 by EBU, with the declared goal of strengthening trust and transparency in voting. Among the novelties are clearer rules regarding promotion, limiting the number of votes per viewer, reintroducing juries in semifinals, and strengthening control over lyrics and staging. EBU explained, in official communications, that these measures respond to concerns from fans and the media regarding the influence of voting through aggressive campaigns, coordinated votes, and controversial content that risks distorting the essence of the competition. The central idea: "the focus must remain on music, creativity, and connection," as EBU representatives have stated in public declarations.

New voting and promotion rules

One of the concrete changes is the reduction of the maximum number of votes a viewer can send through a single means (online, SMS, phone) from 20 to 10. The declared goal is to discourage "bombarding" votes for a single contestant and encourage a more natural distribution of preferences.

At the same time, EBU has updated Voting Instructions and the Code of Conduct for broadcasters, clarifying what is allowed and what is not in promotion campaigns – from the use of influencers to direct appeals for votes in the diaspora. The message conveyed to EBU members is that promotion remains welcome, but it must respect the spirit of fair play and not turn into a race for financial resources or influence networks.

The return of juries in semifinals and strengthening the rules

Another major novelty is the return of professional juries in semifinals: from 2026, the ranking will again be 50% televoting – 50% jury, not just based on public voting. EBU argues that this balance helps protect good songs from countries with smaller diasporas and temper any emotional or political waves from televoting. At the same time, the mandate of the juries is clarified and strengthened: they must take into account not only the quality of the composition and live performance but also the originality of the concept, adherence to the rules, and avoidance of messages that can be interpreted as incitement to hatred or glorification of violence. All jurors sign formal declarations regarding independence, impartiality, and the obligation not to publicly express their preferences before the voting ends. Regarding content, EBU announces that "it will strengthen the application of existing rules regarding lyrics and staging," emphasizing the responsibility of national broadcasters to deliver productions that respect the values of the competition. Cases like Romania's, which have been intensely discussed, are used as concrete examples of how the new rules translate into creative negotiations and adjustments before the show.

Call to boycott Eurovision 2026

We remind you that over a thousand artists and cultural workers accuse the contest of "normalizing" the war in Gaza and have called for the exclusion of Israel or a boycott of the event, while four countries – Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia – have decided to withdraw from the contest and/or not broadcast the contest in Vienna, in protest against EBU's decision to keep Israel in the competition. The public broadcaster RTV Slovenia replaced the broadcast with a series of documentaries and films titled "Voices of Palestine"

We remind you that the final of the Eurovision Contest takes place on Saturday, May 16.

*****Summary made with the help of a data monitoring feed provided by the media monitoring platform NewsVibe Romania. The analysis, data, and images presented have been enhanced with the help of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence tools.

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ANALYSIS What are Romania's chances at Eurovision 2026? Alexandra Căpitănescu and "Choke Me", under the scrutiny of betting houses