LAST UPDATE | 21 mins ago

Daragh Brophy reporting from Vienna

Bulgarian singer DARA hadn't featured among the favourites, but scored well with both the juries and the public to seal the win. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

THE ORGANISERS OF the Eurovision Song Contest will be breathing a sigh of relief tonight after Bulgaria were announced as surprise winners of the competition, beating Israel into second place.

Pop star DARA’s nonsense dance anthem, Bangaranga, topped the table with 516 points as the final public votes were announced, finishing well ahead of Israel’s Noam Bettan on 343. 

The singer hadn’t featured in the bookies’ top five in advance of this evening’s Grand Final, but proved a hit both with the professional juries and the watching public.

Bettan was in 8th place after the votes of the juries were announced, but leapfrogged over his competitors to the top of the table as the televotes came in – remaining there for around the last 10 minutes of voting.

Here is the moment Bulgaria WON The 70th Eurovision Song Contest with BANGARANGA! 🇧🇬#Eurovision #Eurovision2026 pic.twitter.com/4kG9BmQcSw

— sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴛᴠ (@superTV247) May 16, 2026

Whichever country wins the Eurovision earns the right to host it the following year.

If Israel had won, it’s likely more countries would have joined the boycott of the contest, leaving a massive hole in the budget available to European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the show.

Broadcasters from Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands did not take part this year due to the continued presence of Israel.

Already this evening the Belgian broadcaster that had been due to send an act next year, VRT, has raised doubts over whether they’ll do so.

Tonight’s result follows a tense week here in Vienna, where once again events on stage have been overshadowed by debate over Israel’s participation.

Over 2,000 people took part in a pro-Palestine march in the city this afternoon and 14 protesters were arrested at a train station beside the arena earlier tonight.

Further protest had been expected during the Israeli performance this evening after chants of ‘stop the genocide’ could be heard during Tuesday’s semi-final. 

No audible booing could be heard in the broadcast as the performance took place. Commentating for the BBC, Graham Norton noted as the song started that there was “a slightly mixed reception in the hall … I’m not sure what we’re hearing”.

The reaction to Israel in the arena is very clear. It even made Graham Norton trip up 😳 #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/heP8F7TffV

— sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴛᴠ (@superTV247) May 16, 2026

The winning act is due to give a press conference at the press centre here at the Wiener Stadthalle shortly.

This article will be updated.