The participation fee—namely, the fee that ERT is required to pay for the rights to participate in and broadcast Eurovision 2026—remains at almost the same level as last year, according to a document published on Diavgeia. Specifically, the amount stands at €151,502.
This amount does not, of course, include the additional expenses that ERT will be required to cover for its participation in the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place in Vienna on 12, 14, and 16 May. These expenses include accommodation and travel costs, production costs for the stage performance, fees, rental of a commentary booth, as well as the costs associated with Sing for Greece 2026, the national final used to select Greece’s entry.
Last year’s corresponding participation fee amounted to €143,243. The EBU had assured the public broadcasters taking part in Eurovision 2026 that the participation fee would not increase as a result of the withdrawal of five countries. It is worth noting that in 2024, ERT’s participation fee stood at €176,647.
The participation fee varies by country and is calculated based on factors such as population size, the television ratings achieved by the contest, and other parameters. The Big Five (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain) pay the highest participation fees and, for this reason, are granted automatic qualification to the Grand Final.
The decision to approve the participation fee—i.e. Greece’s participation in Eurovision 2026—was taken by majority vote (5 votes in favour, 2 against), as the two ERT employees who are members of the Board of Directors voted against it, wishing to express their opposition to Israel’s participation in the contest and to the stance taken by Greek public television at the recent EBU General Assembly.
Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest developments.
