Europavision Song Contest 2018

The Europa Song Contest 2018 was the 1st edition of the Europavision Song Contest. It took place in the Chornomorets Stadium in Odessa, 🇺🇦 Ukraine. The Contest shows were in July-August 2018. The presenters were Mika Newton and Verka Serduchka. 46 countries debuted in the first edition as being part of the Europa Broadcasting Union. All countries started their entry selection on the 2 February 2018.

Ukraine
Ukraine is a large country in Eastern Europe known for its Orthodox churches, Black Sea coastline and forested mountains. Its capital, Kiev, features the gold-domed St. Sophia's Cathedral, with 11th-century mosaics and frescoes. Overlooking the Dnieper River is the Kiev Pechersk Lavra monastery complex, a Christian pilgrimage site housing Scythian tomb relics and catacombs containing mummified Orthodox monks.

Odessa & Participants
Odessa is a port city on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. It’s known for its beaches and 19th-century architecture, including the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater. The monumental Potemkin Stairs, immortalized in "The Battleship Potemkin," lead down to the waterfront with its Vorontsov Lighthouse. Running parallel to the water, the grand Primorsky Boulevard is a popular promenade lined with mansions and monuments.

Semi-final allocation draw
The draw to determine the allocation of the participating countries into their respective semi-finals took place at Column Hall on 11 February 2018, hosted by Lidiya Taran and Oksana Marchenko. The fourty semi-finalists had been allocated into six pots, based on random.org. Drawing from different pots helps to reduce the chance of so-called "bloc voting" and increase suspense in the semi-finals.

Rules and Voting.
 * The singer must have connection with the country.
 * The song can't be overused and worldchart.
 * The song can't be cover, instrumental or opera.
 * All competing countries are obliged to vote in their own semi final. Failing to do so will result in a disqualification of the entry and risk to lose their spot in the final.
 * The automically qualified countries were assigned one semi final they are obliged to vote in.
 * The competing countries are free to broadcast and vote in the other semi final if they wish to do so. Their votes will be counted towards with the international jury along with the votes from the finalists.
 * There will be 10 qualifiers from each semi final.

Semi-final 1
Twenty countries will participate in the first semi-final. 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇹 Italy and 🇪🇸 Spain will vote in this semi-final.

Semi-final 2
Twenty countries will participate in the first semi-final. 🇫🇷 France, 🇺🇦 Ukraine and 🇬🇧 United Kingdom will vote in this semi-final.

Final
Twenty-six countries participated in the final, with all 46 participating countries eligible to vote. The running order for the final was revealed after the second semi-final qualifiers' press conference on 7 July.

National Finals

 * - Destination Europavision 2018
 * - Ruslandianian Song Numero 2018
 * - Europavision Party - Україна 2018

Commentators

 * - Sia (SBS, all shows)


 * - Blanche (VRT, all shows)


 * - Hera Björk & Yohanna (RÚV, all shows)


 * - Dimitar Atanasovski - (MRT, all shows)


 * - Sergej Četković (RTCG, all shows)


 * - Waylon (AVROTROS, all shows)


 * - Luisa Sobral (RTP, all shows)
 * - Yulia Samoylova (RTV3, all shows)


 * - Mel B, Zayn Milak & Pixie Lott (BBC, all shows)

Other Countries

 * - Kazakhstan was close to confirming participation but the day before it closed, they decided that they couldn't debut. However, they said that they may in they may join in the near future.


 * - Bebe Rexha said she wanted to take part straight away. Kosovo later decided that they couldn't join and withdrew.


 * - On the first day of confirmation, the country had declined the invitation and we have heard nothing since. It looks like Morocco has no interest in taking part.