In a sweeping move designed to restore faith in the integrity of the world’s largest live music event, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced a major overhaul of the Eurovision Song Contest voting rules for 2026.

The changes, unveiled on Friday following an extensive consultation period, mark a significant shift in how the competition is run. Key reforms include the return of professional juries to the Semi-Finals, a reduction in the number of votes a single viewer can cast, and strict new regulations aiming to curb government-sponsored campaigns to influence the results.

The restructuring follows a turbulent period for the Contest. After the 2025 edition, the EBU commissioned an independent advisor to review the event’s governance and voting framework, engaging with Directors General and Heads of Delegation from participating broadcasters. The resulting measures are a direct response to calls for greater transparency and neutrality.

Perhaps the most politically charged update is the EBU’s crackdown on “disproportionate promotion.” In recent years, the line between enthusiastic fan support and orchestrated political campaigning has blurred.

Under the new 2026 rules, the EBU has explicitly moved to block “government-backed campaigns.” The updated Voting Instructions and Code of Conduct now forbid participating broadcasters and artists from facilitating or engaging with third-party promotional efforts designed to unduly influence the vote.

Martin Green CBE, the Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, emphasized the necessity of these safeguards.

“The Contest should remain a neutral space and must not be instrumentalized,” Green stated. “We are taking clear and decisive steps to ensure the contest remains a celebration of music and unity.”

Green added that existing rules regarding song lyrics and staging will also be enforced more rigorously to prevent the misuse of the platform for political messaging.

For the hardcore fanbase, the most tangible change will be the structure of the Tuesday and Thursday night shows. For the first time since 2022, professional juries will return to the Semi-Finals, restoring the traditional 50/50 split between audience and expert votes that governs the Grand Final.

The move reverses a recent trend where Semi-Final qualification relied solely on the public televote, a system critics argued favoured countries with large diaspora populations or “novelty” acts over musical quality.

The composition of these juries is also expanding. The panels will increase from five members to seven, and the EBU is widening the net for who can sit on them. Future juries will include music critics, choreographers, and stage directors alongside traditional industry figures. In a bid to keep the expert opinions relevant to modern trends, every jury must now include at least two members aged between 18 and 25.

While the juries are gaining power in the Semi-Finals, the individual power of the televoter is being capped to prevent spamming. For the 2026 Contest in Vienna, the maximum number of votes a viewer can cast per payment method (SMS, app, or call) has been halved from 20 to 10.

According to the EBU, this change is intended to encourage fans to spread their support across multiple favourite entries rather than “power-voting” for a single nation.

Technical safeguards are also being bolstered. The EBU confirmed it will continue its partnership with voting technology firm Once to deploy advanced security systems capable of detecting and blocking “coordinated or fraudulent voting activity.”

“We’ve listened and we’ve acted,” Green said of the package of measures. “While we are confident the 2025 Contest delivered a valid and robust result, these changes will help provide stronger safeguards… so fans can be sure that every vote counts.”

The changes have been approved by the Contest’s governing body, the Reference Group. However, the conversation isn’t over. Member broadcasters will meet at the EBU’s General Assembly in early December to discuss whether these measures sufficiently address their concerns regarding participation.

Following that assembly, the EBU expects to confirm the lineup for next year. The full list of participating countries for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, hosted by ORF at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, is expected to be revealed before Christmas.