The EBU has confirmed that 42 countries* (41 Members and 1 Associate) will take part in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon hosted by Portuguese Member RTP. The 63rd Contest will be the first held in Portugal, after Salvador Sobral gave the country their first win in 53 years of competing.

RTP has also unveiled more details about the creative theme for this year’s Contest, which is based on the concept that we as citizens of Europe and the world are connected through the ocean.

Under the slogan “All Aboard!” the theme invites everyone to celebrate Europe and music. Portugal as a country has always connected Europe to the rest of the world through the ocean and 500 years ago Lisbon was the centre of many of the world’s most important sea routes. Using the ocean’s connectivity as inspiration, the slogan “All Aboard” invites the international community to come together for this year’s competition.

Europe is a collective of many, and this has also inspired RTP’s design team to introduce multiple logos for 2018, rather than a single image. The main logo, depicting a shell, will be used alongside 12 other versions. They are designed around the concept of the varying life in the oceans which depict the wonders of a floating world, such as plankton and a range of other organisms which are essential for balance in aquatic ecosystems. Through these multiple logos, the creative concept portrays key themes such as diversity, respect and tolerance.

The logos will be creatively adapted and have a variety of uses in the run up to the event, including being displayed all over Lisbon next May.

Jon Ola Sand, the EBU’s Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, said: “We are extremely happy with the creative theme and logos for this year’s contest, which resonate with Lisbon’s history and underscore Eurovision’s core values, including diversity, very well. The ocean connects all of us, and its variety can provide good inspiration for each of the 42 participating broadcasters that we look forward to seeing in Lisbon next May.”

The “Insignia Ceremony Exchange” between the Mayor of Lisbon (Fernando Medina) and the Mayor of Kyiv (Vitali Klitschko) will take place on 29 January 2018. The ceremony will see the passing of a special Eurovison insignia key and marks the official handover from last year’s host city to the next. Following the insignia exchange, RTP will perform the allocation draw to decide which countries will sing in each Semi-Finals.

The Semi Finals of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest will take place on Tuesday 8 and Thursday 10 May, with the Grand Final on Saturday 12 May.

*On 17 November 2017 the EBU announced MRT from FYR Macedonia would also take part in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest bringing the total to 43.

2018 PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES 

The following countries (and EBU Members & Associates) will participate in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon: 

• Albania (RTSH)
• Armenia (AMPTV)
• Australia (SBS)
• Austria (ORF)
• Azerbaijan (ICTIMAI)
• Belarus (BTRC)
• Belgium (VRT)
• Bulgaria (BNT)
• Croatia (HRT)
• Cyprus (CYBC)
• Czech Republic (CT)
• Denmark (DR)
• Estonia (ERR)
• Finland (YLE)
• France (FT)
• FYR Macedonia (MRT)
• Germany (ARD/NDR)
• Georgia (GPB)
• Greece (ERT)
• Hungary (MTVA)
• Iceland (RUV)
• Ireland (RTE)
• Israel (IPBC/KAN)
• Italy (RAI)
• Latvia (LTV)
• Lithuania (LRT)
• Malta (PBS)
• Moldova (TRM)
• Montenegro (RTCG)
• The Netherlands (AVROTROS)
• Norway (NRK)
• Poland (TVP)
• Portugal (RTP)
• Romania (TVR)
• Russia (C1R)
• San Marino (RTV)
• Serbia (RTS)
• Slovenia (RTVSLO)
• Spain (TVE)
• Sweden (SVT)
• Switzerland (SRG/SSR)
• Ukraine (UA:PBC)
• United Kingdom (BBC)