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.
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? 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 Neil Durham
WHEN?: Tuesday 13 May 2025
WHERE?: St Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland
HOW DO I WATCH?: BBC1 at 8pm in the UK or eurovision.tv or SVT
Rather too many men in this easier of the 2 semi finals with the much tougher and saucier semi 2 taking place on the following Thursday.
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.
By Aline Mahrud
WHEN?: Saturday 22 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Malmö Arena, Malmö
The big news this week is the return of 2015 Eurovision winner Mans Zelmerlow and, on the evidence of the 60-second clip, he might not be the runaway 2025 MF victor he appeared to be at the start of the series.
By Aline Mahrud
WHEN?: Saturday 15 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: ABB Arena, Västerås
Established male MF stars have won the 1st 2 Melodifestivalen heats and this week we believe it’s the turn of newcomer Greczula to shine.
By Aline Mahrud
WHEN?: Saturday 8 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Scandinavium, Gothenburg
Melodifestivalen showed its strength in depth last week with a 1st heat strong on musical diversity and there is much that is different to again appreciate here in this 2nd outing.
