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Junior Eurovision 2026 Final: Malta Hosts 16 Countries, Voting Explained
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In brief
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final is held on 24 October at 21:00 CEST at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta' Qali, with 16 countries competing after Azerbaijan and Croatia withdrew. The winner is decided by an even split between national juries and an online public vote that, unlike the adult contest, allows viewers to vote for their own country.
Sixteen countries take the stage for the final of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 on 24 October at 21:00 CEST, held at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta' Qali, Malta, according to the contest's Wikipedia entry and the industry site Eurovoix. The show is hosted by Gaia Cauchi, Destiny Chukunyere and Keane Cutajar.
Who is competing
The 16 competing broadcasters are Albania, Armenia, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Spain and Ukraine, per Eurovoix's list of confirmed participants. Azerbaijan and Croatia, both of which took part in the 2025 edition in Tbilisi, are not returning this year.
| Country | Artist | Song | Running order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | Lucas Paulano | Cuore bello (te quiero, te quiero) | 16 (final slot) |
| Ukraine | Erika Kolesnichenko | NOT A LULLABY | 11 |
Spain's song, sung in Spanish, was written by Blas Cantó, Carlos Almazán, Daniel Ángelo Ortega and Lucas Paulano, Eurovoix reported. Ukraine's entry was written and composed by Svitlana Tarabarova, according to the Ukrainian outlet 112.ua, which noted that Ukraine finished second in 2025 with Sofia Nersesyan.
- Other confirmed performers, according to Eurovoix, include Albania's Eslin Kurti, Cyprus's Harry Georgiou, France's Alec, Georgia's Davit Lomidze, North Macedonia's Ana Stojanoska, Poland's Wiktor Sas and Portugal's Salvador Rio.
- Song titles and running-order positions for these acts were not available in the sources reviewed.
How the voting works
Half of the result comes from national juries. Each of the 16 countries is represented by a jury of three adults and two children, who rank the other countries' performances from 1st to 15th place, Eurovoix reported. The country ranked highest on average receives 12 points, the second 10 points, and so on down to 1 point for 10th place.
The jury final was held on 23 October at 21:00 CET, separate from the televised show. The other half of the result comes from an online public vote at JESC.tv, where viewers choose their three favourite songs; votes are distributed proportionally among those choices, according to Eurovoix's report on the 2026 voting rules.
Unlike the adult Eurovision Song Contest, viewers are allowed to vote for their own country's entry in the junior edition, Eurovoix noted. Online voting opened at 23:59 CEST on 23 October, once the jury final concluded, and the first window closes at 20:59 CEST on 24 October, just before the live final begins. A second, roughly 15-minute voting window reopens during the live broadcast for a final round of public votes.
Why two withdrawals this year
Eurovoix's July report confirming the 16-strong line-up stated that Azerbaijan and Croatia were the only countries from the 2025 roster not returning in 2026, without giving a reason for either withdrawal. All other participants from the Tbilisi edition are back for Malta.
Questions
- When and where is the Junior Eurovision 2026 final?
- The final airs on 24 October 2026 at 21:00 CEST from the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta' Qali, Malta, according to Wikipedia and Eurovoix.
- How many countries are competing in Junior Eurovision 2026?
- Sixteen countries are competing. Azerbaijan and Croatia, which took part in 2025, have withdrawn this year, per Eurovoix.
- How does the voting work?
- The result is split 50/50 between national juries (three adults and two children per country, ranking the other acts) and an online public vote at JESC.tv where viewers pick three favourite songs, Eurovoix reported.
- Can viewers vote for their own country?
- Yes. Eurovoix reported that, unlike the main Eurovision Song Contest, Junior Eurovision viewers may vote for their own country's entry.
- Who represents Spain and Ukraine this year?
- Spain is represented by Lucas Paulano with 'Cuore bello (te quiero, te quiero)', performing last in running order (16th), per Eurovoix. Ukraine is represented by Erika Kolesnichenko with 'NOT A LULLABY', performing 11th, according to 112.ua.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026
- Eurovoix — Junior Eurovision 2026 Voting Rules Announced
- Eurovoix — Sixteen Countries to Compete in Junior Eurovision 2026
- Eurovoix — Today: Junior Eurovision 2026 Jury Final & Online Voting Opens
- 112.ua — Junior Eurovision 2026 Final in Malta: Support Erika Kolesnichenko Online
This piece was prepared with artificial intelligence and passed an automated source check before publication. If you see an error, ask for a correction. Request a correction or reply · How we make this
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