WHEN? Saturday 31 January 2026 8pm UK time WHERE TO WATCH? SVT
WHERE?: Saab Arena, Linköping
Melodifestivalen 2026 kicks off in fine style in its 66th year with the promising reunion of A-Teens who had UK hits with Upside Down and Halfway Around The World as well as 2 ABBA covers a quarter of a century ago.
Erivo won our 2024 Best TV/Film Actress monsta for Wicked and recently starred in its sequel which was our 2025 Best Film. Here she is the sole focus of attention in a 1-woman Dracula directed by Kip Williams (The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket) which runs at the Noel Coward Theatre 4 February through 30 May 2026. Tickets The 1st 3 preview performances have now been cancelled.
By Aline Mahrud
WHERE? Gärdehov, Sundsvall WHEN? Saturday 28 February 2026 WHERE TO WATCH? SVT
Nielsen is the 2nd former Melodifestivalen winner competing in its 66th year and finished 3rd in Copenhagen in 2014 singing the gorgeous Undo.
By Aline Mahrud
WHERE? Malmö Arena, Malmö WHEN? Saturday 21 February 2026 WHERE TO WATCH? SVT
Omar made it out of last year’s Andra Chansen to finish 10th with Hush Hush, an attempt to bring the Bollywood to Melodifestivalen.
By Aline Mahrud
WHERE? Scandinavium, Gothenburg WHEN? Saturday 7 February 2026 WHERE TO WATCH? SVT
There are 2 returning winners to the 66th Melodifestivalen this year and the 1st is Robin Bengtsson who won MF in 2017 finishing 5th in Kyiv, Ukraine with I Can’t Go On.
By Aline Mahrud
WHERE? Saab Arena, Linköping WHEN? Saturday 31 January 2026 WHERE TO WATCH? SVT
A-Teens had UK hits with Upside Down and Halfway Around The World as well as 2 ABBA covers a quarter of a century ago and mark their reformation in Melodifestivalen’s 66th year.
By Aline Mahrud
WHEN?: Saturday 8 March 2025 Strawberry Arena, Stockholm 7pm UK time
WHERE DO I WATCH?: SVTPlay
We predict that this year’s Melfest does contain a potential Eurovision winner in Basle in May but that it isn’t 2015 victor Måns Zelmerlöw or Spotify comedy chartoppers KAJ.
By Aline Mahrud
WHEN?: Saturday 1 March 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Husqvarna Garden, Jönköping
Male soloists have perhaps surprisingly won each of the 1st 4 MF heats and we’ve our fingers crossed for female duo Scarlet (pictured above) to step up on Saturday and break that run with their hard gothic rock.
Author Graham (Boys From The Blackstuff, National Theatre) is enjoying a prolific run of theatre and TV writing including Brian And Maggie most recently on Channel 4. This transfers from Nottingham Playhouse and is based on a book by Jacob Dunne about an impulsive punch that leads to fatal consequences at the Young Vic. Runs 1 March through 26 April 2025. Tickets Cast includes Coronation Street‘s Julie Hesmondhalgh. Our review
