The semi finals are over for another year, so that means it’s time for one of the most popular annual articles Eurovision Ireland publishes – it’s time to find out which countries have had their qualification rates improved the most by reaching the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and who’s DNQ from Tuesday and Thursday night has seen them tumble.

Wondering how these rates have changed over the years? Take a look here and find out! You can find the rates for 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 all here – 7 years of stats to peruse, 8 if you include this year!

Just to remind you, the formula for working out the percentages is:

Country:  (number of qualifications/potential number of qualifications) x 100 = percent qualified for

Any countries with the same percentage have been listed alphabetically. Take a look below to see whose rate has improved following last year, who has dented their odds and for who staying home might have been a better idea!

Ukraine (20/20) = 100% (no change)

Sweden (21/22) = 95.45% (+0.22%)

Russia (15/16) = 93.75% (no change)

Bosnia & Herzegovina (9/10) = 90% (no change)

Türkiye (8/9) = 88.88% (no change)

Greece (19/22) = 86.36% (+0.65%)

Norway (19/22) = 86.36% (+0.65%)

Romania (15/19) = 78.94% (+1.17%)

Armenia (14/18) = 77.77% (-4.58%)

Serbia (14/18) = 77.77% (+1.30%)

Hungary (10/13) = 76.92% (no change)

Australia (8/11) = 72.72% (+2.72%)

Azerbaijan (13/18) = 72.22% (-4.25%)

Israel (15/22) = 68.18% (+1.52%)

Lithuania (15/22) = 68.18% (+1.52%)

Luxembourg (2/3) = 66.66% (-33.34%)

Moldova (13/20) = 66.66% (+1.66%)

Denmark (14/22) = 63.63% (+1.73%)

Finland (14/22) = 63.63% (+1.73%)

Cyprus (13/21) = 61.90% (+1.90%)

Austria (11/18) = 61.11% (+2.29%)

Albania (13/22) = 59.09% (+1.95%)

Iceland (12/21) = 57.14% (no change)

Malta (12/22) = 54.54% (+2.16%)

The Netherlands (11/21) = 52.38% (no change)

Croatia (10/20) = 50.00% (+2.64%)

Poland (10/20) = 50.00% (+2.64%)

Estonia (11/22) = 50.00% (-2.38%)

Portugal (10/20) = 50.00% (-2.63%)

Belgium (10/22) = 45.45% (+2.60%)

Switzerland (10/22) = 45.45% (-2.17%)

Georgia (8/18) = 44.44% (-2.61%)

Czechia (6/14) = 42.85% (+4.39%)

Ireland (9/21) = 42.85% (no change)

Bulgaria (6/15) 40.00% (+4.29%)

Slovenia (8/21) = 38.09% (no change)

Belarus (6/16) = 37.50% (no change)

Latvia (8/22) = 36.36% (-1.73%)

North Macedonia (6/18) = 33.33% (no change)

San Marino (4/16) = 25.00% (-1.66%)

Montenegro (2/14) = 14.28% (-1.10%)

Andorra (0/6) = 0% (no change)

Monaco (0/3) = 0% (no change)

Slovakia (0/4) = 0% (no change)

While we only usually look at the Top 10 countries whose rates have increased the most after the dust settles on the 2026 semi finals, this year we’ve decided to look at all of them together!

1. Czechia (6/14) = 42.85% (+4.39%)
2. Bulgaria (6/15) 40.00% (+4.29%)
3. Australia (8/11) = 72.72% (+2.72%)
4. Croatia (10/20) = 50.00% (+2.64%)
5. Poland (10/20) = 50.00% (+2.64%)
6. Belgium (10/22) = 45.45% (+2.60%)
7. Austria (11/18) = 61.11% (+2.29%)
8. Malta (12/22) = 54.54% (+2.16%)
9. Albania (13/22) = 59.09% (+1.95%)
10. Cyprus (13/21) = 61.90% (+1.90%)
11. Denmark (14/22) = 63.63% (+1.73%)
12. Finland (14/22) = 63.63% (+1.73%)
13. Moldova (13/20) = 66.66% (+1.66%)
14. Israel (15/22) = 68.18% (+1.52%)
15. Lithuania (15/22) = 68.18% (+1.52%)
16. Serbia (14/18) = 77.77% (+1.30%)
17. Romania (15/19) = 78.94% (+1.17%)
18. Greece (19/22) = 86.36% (+0.65%)
19. Norway (19/22) = 86.36% (+0.65%)
20. Sweden (21/22) = 95.45% (+0.22%)

Having reached so few Eurovision finals over the years, the qualification of both Bulgaria and Czechia from Thursday’s semi final has seen their rates gain the most, over 4% each. Interestingly, all of the countries returning to the contest this year after a hiatus (Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania) have all qualified – just shows how much Europe has missed them! Australia round off our Top 3, with Delta Goodrem getting The Land Down Under back into the final for the first time since 2023. Hot favourites Finland have had a good streak of reaching Saturday’s final over the last few years, so their rate hasn’t increased that much and they’re tied with Denmark at having appeared at just under 2/3 of all the finals they’ve attempted to reach. Hosts Austria have improved on their qualification rate by 2.29% just by winning last year and holding this year’s edition of the contest, showing us that winning has its advantages beyond the night of the final! Near the bottom of our list, traditionally strong qualifiers like Greece, Norway and Sweden all see their rates grown, just not by a lot – such is maths!

As we all know however, not every country can be so lucky. Which nation’s DNQ in 2026 has hurt their rating the most?

1. Luxembourg (2/3) = 66.66% (-33.34%)
2. Armenia (14/18) = 77.77% (-4.58%)
3. Azerbaijan (13/18) = 72.22% (-4.25%)
4. Portugal (10/20) = 50.00% (-2.63%)
5. Georgia (8/18) = 44.44% (-2.61%)
6. Estonia (11/22) = 50.00% (-2.38%)
7. Switzerland (10/22) = 45.45% (-2.17%)
8. Latvia (8/22) = 36.36% (-1.73%)
9. San Marino (4/16) = 25.00% (-1.66%)
10. Montenegro (2/14) = 14.28% (-1.10%)

Luxembourg’s first ever non-qualification on Thursday night has been the most brutal, reducing their score by a whole third- but this is the quirk of numbers, fewer participations means just one non-qualification can send your rate into free-fall! Armenia and Azerbaijan’s usually strong rates have also taken a beating, falling by over 4% each. It’s interesting to note that the further down the list we go, most of these countries have weaker qualification rates to begin with and so the numbers by which they’ve shrunk isn’t that much. Portugal and Estonia have now been in exactly as many finals as they’ve missed, while San Marino have only made it to a quarter of Eurovision finals – the celebrity touch with Boy George clearly not being the golden ticket some people were touting it as! Poor Montenegro’s rate is the lowest of any country currently competing at the contest, having only made the final twice – the last time being 11 years ago now!

For all the ups and downs, a handful of countries didn’t budge at all in the aftermath of the 2026 semi finals!

1. Ukraine (20/20) = 100% (no change)
2. Russia (15/16) = 93.75% (no change)
3. Bosnia & Herzegovina (9/10) = 90% (no change)
4. Türkiye (8/9) = 88.88% (no change)
5. Hungary (10/13) = 76.92% (no change)
6. Iceland (12/21) = 57.14% (no change)
7. The Netherlands (11/21) = 52.38% (no change)
8. Ireland (9/21) = 42.85% (no change)
9. Slovenia (8/21) = 38.09% (no change)
10. Belarus (6/16) = 37.50% (no change)
11. North Macedonia (6/18) = 33.33% (no change)
12. Andorra (0/6) = 0% (no change)
13. Monaco (0/3) = 0% (no change)
14. Slovakia (0/4) = 0% (no change)

It’s worth noting that due to this year’s contest being boycotted by 5 nations over disputes regarding the participation of Israel, our list of countries that have had no change to their qualification rate is longer than usual. Iceland, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia are all sitting out, so their rates remain frozen while the majority of other countries in this section haven’t taken part at the contest for years now – two decades in the case of Monaco! One notable mention however is that Ukraine have held on to their 100% qualification rate, meaning that they have never missed out on a Eurovision final once in 20 whole years – which we think you’ll agree is an incredible achievement!

What do you think? Do any of these rates surprise you? Who do you think will keep a steady qualification rate in the years to come?

Let us know what you think!

Author: James Scanlan
Source: Eurovision Ireland
Image Source: YouTube