Of the 41 participants, 35 countries will participate in the semi-finals on May 18-20. Due to Duncan Lawrence’s victory in 2019, the Netherlands has already reached the final with the so-called “Big Five” – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
“It’s great that the same 41 countries that will be participating this year want to come to the Netherlands in May 2021,” says executive producer Sets Packer. “They have complete confidence that our country, after canceling the 2020 edition, can still organize the successful Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam next year.”
Behind the scenes, according to Packer, the bar is set high for “three amazing live performances in these challenging times”. To achieve this, we are currently working on a comprehensive protocol that ensures the health of employees, participants, press, and visitors as possible.
Last month, the organization announced that it is working on four different scenarios. One of them is the Eurovision Song Contest without an audience. In the first months of 2021, the format for the 65th Eurovision Song Contest will be decided.
Participating countries must come out with a new entrance next year. Why this is the case, Eurovision expert Aran Bade explains below.
