Eurovision 2016 – Swedish broadcaster SVT has at last today announced the running order of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest Semi-finals. Semi-final 1 takes place on Tuesday 10th May 2016 and semi-final 2 on Thursday 12th May 2016.
The running order is as follows:
Semi-Final 1
1. Finland
2. Greece
3. Moldova
4. Hungary
5. Croatia
6. The Netherlands
7. Armenia
8. San Marino
9. Russia
10. Czech Republic
11. Cyprus
12. Austria
13. Estonia
14. Azerbaijan
15. Montenegro
16. Iceland
17. Bosnia & Herzegovina
18. Malta
Semi-Final 2
1. Latvia
2. Poland
3. Switzerland
4. Israel
5. Belarus
6. Serbia
7. Ireland
8. FYR Macedonia
9. Lithuania
10. Australia
11. Slovenia
12. Romania
13. Bulgaria
14. Denmark
15. Ukraine
16. Norway
17. Georgia
18. Albania
19. Belgium
The Eurovision Times 
Last time Greece had slot #2, we ended up with zero points; zero + 12 from Cyprus :P
1998?
Yep.
I don’t think we got #2 ever since, right?
I can’t be sure,
Need to google it :P
I wish we had our own Cyprus :-)
We have in 4/5…:p
I mean you :p
Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary should all walk out en masse.
What does SVT/EBU have against central Europe?
They don’t and that’s why they don’t :-)
Hungary performed last in 2014.
I already commented on the running order.
On other news in a great turn of events I am actually entertaining the idea of an one-day trip to stockholm for the 3rd dress rehearsal for the final :D
Nice!
Running order has little or no effect so I wouldn’t care less!
Good luck to all :)
Speaking words of wisdom…
Same here.
The first half of the 2nd semi final is very top heavy with male performers why did they not spread them around a bit more, also noticed that most of Sweden’s neighbours got very good draws, funny that!!! New draw system need to stop favouritism sneaking in, maybe have similar types of songs in pots then pull out song types out in a particular order, so the country is not know until pull out. Maybe??
How come Denmark and Norway have good draw if the are given Ukraine right in their face??
Indeed. And there really isn’t a draw that could save Denmark, so why bother,
I believe Denmark is a 50-50 case.
It shouldn’t be but who knows. I really don’t like it, so I am very biased here.
I don’t like it either.
Yeah, I remembered that.
Well as expected Russia got the last place in the first half.
I do think there will be speculations on the running order either way. No one was like this before in the random draws, its just that now people have someone to blame for it lol.
So very true.
I don’t understand the science of running orders, their supposed influence on contest results and the wrath that it seems to provoke from fans. Surely having a good, memorable song and a stylish, impressive performance has more influence on the outcome then when you do it, or am I missing something important?
I organise events that involve several acts performing one or two songs each, including a Eurovision themed one last May, and I put great care into compiling a running order that is conducive to a good show, mixing up different styles, large bands, solo performers, male and female voices, book-ending the two halves with something appropriately attention-grabbing, ending the night with something suitably rousing, so I can understand the thought that goes into it. I wouldn’t want to decide it by random draw. But then, my shows are not contests.
My predictions for qualifiers after the running order anouncement:
SEMI1
Hungary
Croatia
{first break}
Armenia
Russia
Cyprus
Austria
{second break}
Estonia
Azerbaijan
Iceland
Malta
SEMI2
Latvia
Serbia
{first break}
Lithuania
Australia
Slovenia
Romania
{second break}
Bulgaria
Ukraine
Norway
Denmark or Belgium
SF1: If CZR delivers well then MLT is in serious trouble. I expect a messy show from Malta, while Greece comes across as different in a cute way. So it is up to the live show.
SF2: I believe both Denmark and Belgium are in in expense of Lithuania.
The second semi is quite difficult to predict due to a terrible, boring second half…
Exactly. So, the most ”interesting” from the crowd will make it. Belgium being uptempo and relaxing (now with a good draw) and Denmark who offers an accessible middle-of-the road performed 3 cheesy lads. Same old recipe.
I’m pretty sure Lithuania will make it instead of Denmark.
when all’s said and done , conspiracy theories about semi-final running orders is kind of irrelevant when it could possibly only affect the borderline entries depending on performance/diaspora, certain countries are pretty much guaranteed a place in the final whether they sent a monkey , singing about reaching for the stars while playing a banjo..
I can assure you that these certain countries you have in mind may not qualify.
never mentioned any countries, which ones are you referring to?!
Greece and BiH. Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan (100% record as well) will qualify deservedly. I might not like the Russian song but it is well crafted and a good one within its own genre. I expect a professional staging as well.
ok so best songs will deservedly qualify then, 2004 type genre song to win also! future of ESC is secured!!
I hardly spoke about victory whatsoever so therefore your outburst is pointless.
I never do “outbursts” for the record…
You are a prospect in Sergeysta list now with Dimitris :-)
I don’t like it still :p my point was smth else.
I know. That’s what prospects say. It’s part of being in denial :-)
A monkey singing about reaching for the stars while playing a banjo would win Germany’s Got Talent too … and by a landslide. :)
haha! Spain’s got talent too (in Spain’s got talent woud be a bull), I just used that as a metaphor…oops! wrong move?!
as I know you are a fan of opera and obviously the world has talent, last winner here was that cute girl originally from Dominican Republic, here in Spain everyone went crazy about her and her voice (Plenty of tears) at 15 years old, after that she couldn’t cope too much with instant fame, is why I hate those kind of manipulative shohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpWgohsa5Rk&ebc=ANyPxKp7nVzQqUdNUTn4iZtWDMXaraBzoifLr-rDAl0YhS3yKV6UjlSoqR6Ug2bhVSGBE71P7sRtXaS_Dw5TrpM67YhE4yoZEA&nohtml5=False
uff all that! Sislena tu si que vales on youtube
😂
May be I am wrong, but I don’t really think the running order effects the results. Good luck to everyone. Looking forward to rehearsals already. (:
After reading all these comments, it’s pretty clear that the current system is dangerous and pointless. On the one hand it encourages speculation and on the other hand why bother running that risk, if the running order has no influence in the final outcome? Go back to the random draw.
dear Shevek, indeed, like in Spanish we say “hay una mano negra detrás” am sure you have a similar phrase in Portuguese!
There is: ‘aqui há gato’ = there’s a cat here (literally).
yes. similar to catalan saying :un gat a l’arbre equivocat!
a cat in the wrong tree! :-)
We’ve been over this before but eurovision is a music contest first and foremost so what can be decided by a random draw should stay this way.In all honesty,i don’t believe the producer-lead draw has made the shows more pleasant or interesting for the tv viewers.I have to say that the draw isn’t the decisive factor in making or breaking an entry,imo.However,we can’t really be 100% sure if a crucial point or 2 that could mean qualification or no for a country can’t be attibuted to its’ position in the running order.
I think it makes much more better show. The thing is that fans now all the songs before hand and find everything interesting to the point of borderline craziness. Most if the viewers will here the songs for the first or second time and for them it makes big difference. They are watchung totally different show than us.
Well,i asked my non die-hard esc friends who only watch the final if they’d noticed any change in the recent years and they hadn’t and then i mentioned the producer-lead draw and again they didn’t find the shows to be more exciting.
Well I always watch with same non fans every year and they have found new show’s more enjoyable to watch. Flow is better.
And now that we know the running order for the semis here is the official recap for semi 1 which is going to be a bloodbath:
pretty much a bloody battle in which I fear those without any kind of diaspora vote will lose out, Finland, Moldova and San Marino can say goodbye at that point
Well,Moldova and San Marino should say goodbye anyway because of their bad songs.Finland is a most likely non qualifier too,imo again because of the tough competition.
indeed but I was thinking more about those remaining..bloodbath battle, let’s see..
And for semi 2:
My early prediction for second semi is:
1.Ukraine
2.Australia
3.Serbia
4.Bulgaria
5.Latvia
6.Norway
7.Belgium
and then it depends on the lives.I’d love to see Israel qualifying but Hovi Star needs a hell of a performance in order to make it.I wouldn’t be surprised if Romania and Poland make it in the end.Denmark and Lithuania can qualify too.
I believe Israel is in in case Hovi is as great as in the NF.
I hope you’re right.
Kaliopi might be overshadowed by Hovi. It might sounds strange but at least him is singing smth contemporary and he is great too.
kaliopi is a great live performer in a theatrical diva way.If it was another singer singing “Dona” i’d say it’s a sure non Q but with her it has its’ chances.
It does, but it might fail as well marginally.
Also I have noticed that Cyprus (last year) was the closest country in getting right the televoting result.
10pts ITA
8pts RUS
7pts SWE
Nordic countries as always are in good positions in semi and final . Exept Finland.
My prediction for First semi is ( not in order ) :
1. Hungary
2. Croatia
3. Cyprus
4. Russia
5. Azerbaijan
6. Armenia
7. Czech Rep
8. Iceland
9. Austria
10. Netherlands
3 Dark Horses: Greece, Estonia and Malta.
17 th place Montenegro ( Because of Bosnia and Croatia points )
18 th place San Marino
My prediction for Second semi is ( not in order ) :
1. Poland
2. Serbia
3. Australia
5. Bulgaria
6. Ukraine
7. Norway
8. Israel
9. Latvia
10. Denmark
3 Dark Horses: Romania ( because of televoting ), Ireland and Switzerland .
18 th place Slovenia, 19 th place Belarus .
You’re predicting Estonia out of the final Lina? :-o That’s a bold prediction.You should place a bet if you feel confident about it. ;)
dimitris always some good songs are out from the final and some mediocre or bad songs qualify :/ But I have Estonia as dark horse to qualify :)
for second semi No 4 is Lithuania..
Usually when predicting a semi final I try to do a 4-5 split and then 1 from whats left. in semi 2 its a struggle because in the second half I can’t only see 4 qualifying on song quality/diaspora (Romania,Ukraine,Bulgaria,Norway) and generally you would have to pick a 5th qualifier at least but I look at that first half and I struggle to pick either Belgium or Denmark over a lot of the first half. Could be the first year we have more from the first half qualify I get the feeling it will be a 6-4 split however, we still haven’t seen the staging so that could well change.