# Bulgaria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026
Bulgaria took part in the [Eurovision Song Contest 2026](https://www.edgepedia.org/eurovision-song-contest-2026) in Vienna with the song "[Bangaranga](https://www.edgepedia.org/bangaranga)", performed by the singer DARA (Дарина Николаева Йотова, Darina Yotova), and won the Contest with 516 points, the country's first Eurovision victory in 16 participations.[1](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2026/05/eurovision-song-contest-winner) • [2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/countries/bulgaria/) The win came in the Contest's 70th edition and on Bulgaria's return after sitting out three Contests between 2023 and 2025.[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Result | Winner of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, 16 May 2026, Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) |
| Song | "Bangaranga" by DARA, written by Anne Judith Stokke Wik, Darina Yotova, Dimitris Kontopoulos and Monoir[4](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/vienna-2026/participants/dara/) |
| Points | 516 total: 204 from national juries, 312 from the public televote, first place in both[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) |
| Winning margin | 173 points over runner-up Israel, the largest in Contest history, beating Alexander Rybak's 169-point lead at Moscow 2009[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) |
| Semi-final | First place in the Second Semi-Final on 14 May, which DARA opened[4](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/vienna-2026/participants/dara/) • [5](https://bntnews.bg/news/dara-departs-for-vienna-on-sunday-to-represent-bulgaria-at-eurovision-2026-1390960news.html) |
| Selection | National final Natsionalnata Selektsiya, staged by BNT in three shows in January and February 2026[5](https://bntnews.bg/news/dara-departs-for-vienna-on-sunday-to-represent-bulgaria-at-eurovision-2026-1390960news.html) |
| Aftermath | Burgas, Bulgaria, selected as host city for the 2027 Contest, 11, 13 and 15 May 2027[6](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2026/08/burgas-to-host-eurovision-song-contest-2027) |
## Return to the Contest
Bulgaria returned to the Eurovision Song Contest for Vienna 2026 after sitting out the 2023, 2024, and 2025 editions.[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) The 2026 Contest fielded 35 countries, the lowest number since 2004, after Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland withdrew in protest at Israel's participation following the war in Gaza; Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova all returned despite the controversy.[7](https://elpais.com/television/2026-05-15/estos-son-los-25-paises-finalistas-de-eurovision-y-todos-los-que-no-participan-porque-no-han-querido-o-no-han-podido.html) • [8](https://www.ebu.ch/cms/live/live/en/sites/ebu/contents/news/2025/12/35-broadcasters-to-compete-at-70th-eurovision-song-contest-in-vienna.html) [The Contest](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-contest) confirmed Bulgaria's return when broadcaster BNT (Bulgarian National Television) joined 32 other public broadcasters on the participant list announced in December 2025.[8](https://www.ebu.ch/cms/live/live/en/sites/ebu/contents/news/2025/12/35-broadcasters-to-compete-at-70th-eurovision-song-contest-in-vienna.html)
## National selection
**Natsionalnata Selektsiya.** BNT organized a televised music show in three stages during January and February 2026 to choose both the performer and the song.[5](https://bntnews.bg/news/dara-departs-for-vienna-on-sunday-to-represent-bulgaria-at-eurovision-2026-1390960news.html) On Saturday 31 January, eight artists performed in Sofia, and the winner was determined by a combined vote of the television audience and a professional jury. DARA won both the public vote and the jury vote, a unanimous choice, earning the right to sing for Bulgaria on its comeback.[9](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-song-selection-bulgaria-vienna-2026/)
In the third and final stage, broadcast on 28 February 2026, DARA performed three competing compositions developed with an international songwriting team, with the jury and public again voting. "Bangaranga" won.[9](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-song-selection-bulgaria-vienna-2026/) • [5](https://bntnews.bg/news/dara-departs-for-vienna-on-sunday-to-represent-bulgaria-at-eurovision-2026-1390960news.html) The music and lyrics were credited to Anne Judith Wik, Cristian Tarcea (Monoir), Darina Yotova (DARA), and Dimitris Kontopoulos.[5](https://bntnews.bg/news/dara-departs-for-vienna-on-sunday-to-represent-bulgaria-at-eurovision-2026-1390960news.html) In interviews after the win, DARA said she had come close to withdrawing during the process.[10](https://omni.se/esc-vinnaren-dara-var-nara-att-jag-hoppade-av/a/16V7be)
## DARA
DARA, the stage name of Darina Yotova, was 27 years old at the time of the win and is one of the best-known pop musicians in Bulgaria, described by the Contest's official profile as shaping contemporary Bulgarian pop with her voice, stage presence, and genre-blending.[11](https://www.bta.bg/bg/eurovision-2027/news/1127722-frans-pres-balgarkata-dara-specheli-evroviziya-s-uvlekatelniya-si-himn-banga) • [4](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/vienna-2026/participants/dara/) Her biggest hits include "Thunder", "Call Me", and "Mr. Rover", and she has had multiple number-one hits on the official Bulgarian Airplay Chart.[4](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/vienna-2026/participants/dara/) She coached new musicians on The Voice of Bulgaria in 2021 and 2022, and released the album *ADHDARA* in 2025.[4](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/vienna-2026/participants/dara/)
## The result
The Grand Final took place on Saturday 16 May 2026 at the Wiener Stadthalle, with 25 finalists performing before millions of viewers.[1](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2026/05/eurovision-song-contest-winner) "Bangaranga", an up-tempo dance anthem, won the jury vote with 204 points and then the televote with 312 points, for a total of 516.[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) This was the first time since Kyiv 2017 that the juries and the public chose the same winner.[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/)
The 173-point lead over second-placed Israel (343 points with "Michelle" by [Noam Bettan](https://www.edgepedia.org/noam-bettan)) made it the largest winning margin in the Contest's 70-year history, surpassing the 169-point lead of [Alexander Rybak](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexander-rybak)'s "Fairytale" at Moscow 2009.[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) • [12](https://apnews.com/article/eb9d219d95b4754d47c6df85b74bacdf) Romania, another returning country, placed third with [Alexandra Căpitănescu](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexandra-capitanescu)'s "Choke Me", followed by Australia and Italy.[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) In the televote, Bulgaria led all countries with 312 points, ahead of Romania (232), Israel (220), Moldova (183), and Ukraine (167); Bulgaria received the maximum 12 points from nine of the 36 voting groups, including Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, and the Rest of the World.[13](https://elpais.com/television/2026-05-18/curiosidades-en-las-puntuaciones-de-eurovision-2026-el-jurado-el-publico-y-si-hay-paises-que-se-votan-entre-ellos.html)
## Bulgaria's Eurovision history
Bulgaria debuted at the 2005 Contest in Kyiv with the jazz band Kaffe and the song "Lorraine", which failed to reach the Grand Final.[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/countries/bulgaria/) The first final appearance came at Helsinki 2007, when Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov took "Water" to fifth place.[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) The country's best previous result was Kristian Kostov's "Beautiful Mess", runner-up at Kyiv 2017 with 615 points, at the time of 2026 the third-highest score in Contest history.[3](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/) Poli Genova's "If Love Was A Crime" reached fourth place in 2016.[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/countries/bulgaria/)
## Hosting 2027
As winner, Bulgaria earned the right to host the 2027 Contest. In August 2026 the EBU and BNT announced that Burgas, a port city on the [Black Sea](https://www.edgepedia.org/black-sea) coast, would host the 71st edition on 11, 13, and 15 May 2027, bringing the Contest to Bulgaria for the first time; the capital Sofia had also applied.[6](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2026/08/burgas-to-host-eurovision-song-contest-2027) • [14](https://apnews.com/article/81eccb688ff3f9594946457ce94ba7a7) The Bulgarian cabinet allocated more than 4.8 million euros for the preparation and hosting of the event.[5](https://bntnews.bg/news/dara-departs-for-vienna-on-sunday-to-represent-bulgaria-at-eurovision-2026-1390960news.html)
## References
1. [Bulgaria's Dara wins spectacular 70th Eurovision Song Contest with 'Bangaranga', EBU](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2026/05/eurovision-song-contest-winner)
2. [Bulgaria, Eurovision Song Contest country profile](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/countries/bulgaria/)
3. [DARA wins the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 for Bulgaria, Eurovision Song Contest](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-wins-the-eurovision-song-contest-2026-for-bulgaria/)
4. [DARA - Bulgaria | Vienna 2026, Eurovision Song Contest participant page](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/vienna-2026/participants/dara/)
5. [DARA Departs for Vienna on Sunday to Represent Bulgaria at Eurovision 2026, BNT News](https://bntnews.bg/news/dara-departs-for-vienna-on-sunday-to-represent-bulgaria-at-eurovision-2026-1390960news.html)
6. [Burgas to host Eurovision Song Contest 2027, EBU](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2026/08/burgas-to-host-eurovision-song-contest-2027)
7. [Estos son los 25 países finalistas de Eurovisión, El País](https://elpais.com/television/2026-05-15/estos-son-los-25-paises-finalistas-de-eurovision-y-todos-los-que-no-participan-porque-no-han-querido-o-no-han-podido.html)
8. [35 broadcasters to compete at 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, EBU](https://www.ebu.ch/cms/live/live/en/sites/ebu/contents/news/2025/12/35-broadcasters-to-compete-at-70th-eurovision-song-contest-in-vienna.html)
9. [Bulgaria to select DARA's song for Vienna, Eurovision Song Contest](https://www.eurovision.com/stories/dara-song-selection-bulgaria-vienna-2026/)
10. [ESC-vinnaren Dara: "Var nära att jag hoppade av", Omni](https://omni.se/esc-vinnaren-dara-var-nara-att-jag-hoppade-av/a/16V7be)
11. [Francs pres: Българката Дара спечели "Евровизия", BTA](https://www.bta.bg/bg/eurovision-2027/news/1127722-frans-pres-balgarkata-dara-specheli-evroviziya-s-uvlekatelniya-si-himn-banga)
12. [The Latest: Bulgarian singer Dara wins this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/eb9d219d95b4754d47c6df85b74bacdf)
13. [Curiosidades en las puntuaciones de Eurovisión 2026, El País](https://elpais.com/television/2026-05-18/curiosidades-en-las-puntuaciones-de-eurovision-2026-el-jurado-el-publico-y-si-hay-paises-que-se-votan-entre-ellos.html)
14. [Eurovision music contest will take place in Bulgaria's Black Sea city of Burgas next year, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/81eccb688ff3f9594946457ce94ba7a7)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music institutions and events › Music awards › National and regional music awards › European national music awards › Pan-European music awards*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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