Melodifestivalen 2026 was the 66th edition of the Swedish music competition Melodifestivalen, organised by Sveriges Television (SVT) and took place during a six-week period between 31 January and 7 March 2026, hosted by Gina Dirawi and Hampus Nessvold. The winner of the competition, Felicia with the song "My System", went on to represent in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, where she finished in 20th place with 51 points.
Format Melodifestivalen 2026 had six weekly shows held in six Swedish cities (Linköping, Gothenburg, Kristianstad, Malmö, Sundsvall and Stockholm). Gina Dirawi and Hampus Nessvold were announced as the hosts of the competition on 19 December 2025.
A total of 30 entries took part in the competition across five heats. Each heat consisted of six songs, with the top two songs directly qualifying for the final. In each heat, the first finalist was selected based on the number of public votes received in the first round, while the second round determined the second finalist and the remaining placings through a points-based system of age groups that had been in place since 2019, with a voting group replacing the former telephone group as all televoting proceeds were now to be donated to the charity; the full breakdown of the results was presented on-screen, as had been the case between 2022 and 2024. The remaining artist with the highest total number of votes across both rounds then advanced to a final qualification round (rather than the third-placed entry as in the previous edition). The top two songs in the final qualification then progressed to the final, which comprised 12 songs. The winner of the final was determined by a 50/50 combination of votes from the public and an international jury. +Competition scheduleShowDateCityVenueHeat 131 January 2026LinköpingSaab ArenaHeat 27 February 2026GothenburgScandinaviumHeat 314 February 2026KristianstadKristianstad ArenaHeat 421 February 2026MalmöMalmö ArenaHeat 528 February 2026SundsvallGärdehov ArenaFinal7 March 2026StockholmStrawberry Arena
Competing entries A public submission window was open between 18 August and 12 September 2025 to select the 30 competing entries. Upon closing the submission period, SVT announced that 3,888 applications had been received, from which competing entries were then selected by a dedicated board chaired by producer and artistic director Karin Gunnarsson, both from the received submissions and by direct invitation of artists. The selected entries were announced on 2 December 2025.
Artist Song Songwriter(s)A-Teens"Iconic", Jimmy Jansson, Lina Hansson, Moa "Cazzi Opeia" Carlebecker, Thomas G:sonAleXa"Tongue Tied"Alexaundra Christine Schneiderman, , , , Moa "Cazzi Opeia" CarlebeckerArwin"Glitter"Arwin Ismail, Axel Schylström, Dino Medanhodzic, Melanie Wehbe, Robert SkowronskiBladë"Who You Are"Isa Tengblad, Josefina CarlbomBrandsta City Släckers""Anderz Wrethov, , Kristofer Strandberg, Robert SkowronskiCimberly"Eternity"Cimberly-Malaika Wanyonyi, , Dino Medanhodzic, Melanie WehbeEmilia Pantić""Emilia Pantić, , , Theodor Ström, Erika Jonsson""Amir Aly, Erika Jonsson, Eva Jumatate"Selfish"Eva Jumatate, , Ruth LindegrenFelicia"My System"Audun Agnar Guldbrandsen, Emily Harbakk, Felicia Eriksson, Julie Bergan, Theresa RexFelix Manu""Axel Schylström, Felix Manu, , Greczula"Half of Me"Andreas Werling, Karl Ivert, Kian Sang, Kristofer GreczulaIndra "Beautiful Lie"Anderz Wrethov, Indra Elg, Kristofer Strandberg, Laurell Barker, Robert SkowronskiJacqline"Woman"Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Moa "Cazzi Opeia" Carlebecker, Thomas G:son""David Själin, Elias Kask, Herman Gardarfve, Ludvig Alamanos, Romeo Er-Melin, Valter WigrenJunior Lerin"Copacabana Boy"Fredrik AnderssonKlara Almström"", Jimmy Jansson, Klara AlmströmKorslagda"King of Rock 'n' Roll"Andreas Werling, Kristofer Strandberg, Pedro Sanchez, Stefan "Ubbe" SjurLaila Adèle"Oxygen", Laila Adèle, Marcus Winther-JohnLilla Al-Fadji"Delulu", Edward af Sillén, Fredrik Sonefors, Lilla Al-Fadji, Melanie Wehbe, Medina"Viva L'Amor"Ali "Alibrorsh" Jammali, Anderz Wrethov, Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Sami RekikMeira Omar"" Anderz Wrethov, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Laurell Barker, Meira OmarNoll2""Fredrik Andersson, Jakob Westerlund, Wilmer ÖbergPatrik Jean "Dusk Till Dawn"David Lindgren Zacharias, Joy Deb, Melanie Wehbe, Patrik JeanRobin Bengtsson"Honey Honey", Pär Westerlund, Petter Tarland, Robin BengtssonSaga Ludvigsson"Ain't Today"Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Johanna "Dotter" Jansson, Saga LudvigssonSanna Nielsen"Waste Your Love"Jimmy Jansson, Peter Boström, Thomas G:sonSmash into Pieces"Hollow" , , , Philip StrandTimo Räisänen"", Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Joy Deb, Lina Räisänen, Linnea Deb, Timo RäisänenVilhelm Buchaus"Hearts Don't Lie", Isa Molin, Vilhelm Buchaus
Contest overview Heat 1 The first heat took place on 31 January 2026 at the Saab Arena in Linköping. A total of 10,087,769 votes were cast using 553,145 devices, with collected for .
For the first time, only the two finalists were announced live on SVT1, while the artist advancing to the final qualification was revealed in a separate broadcast aired immediately afterwards on SVT Play. This format was originally intended to apply to the first four heats, but was abandoned after the first heat following viewer backlash. ArtistSongRound 1Round 2Result 1Greczula"Half of Me"1,400,783 1 colspan="5" Final 2Jacqline"Woman"1,128,8483662,5326721,791,380 1 3Noll2""1,004,8894599,3954941,604,2842Out 4Junior Lerin"Copacabana Boy"937,3505577,9334451,515,283 3Out 5Indra"Beautiful Lie"880,8866536,8755231,417,7614Out 6A-Teens"Iconic"1,351,878 21,006,4009212,358,278Final
+ Round 2 detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 2 "Woman" 8 8 12 10 10 8 8 3 3 "" 5 5 8 8 5 5 5 8 4 "Copacabana Boy" 10 12 3 5 3 3 3 5 5 "Beautiful Lie" 3 3 5 3 8 10 10 10 6 "Iconic" 12 10 10 12 12 12 12 12
Heat 2 The second heat took place on 7 February 2026 at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg. A total of 9,750,011 votes were cast using 565,221 devices, with collected for . ArtistSongRound 1Round 2Result 1Arwin"Glitter"897,7624429,5454151,327,3072Out 2Laila Adèle"Oxygen"787,0286358,6765031,145,7044Out 3Robin Bengtsson"Honey Honey"1,228,1053661,5097621,889,6141 4Felicia"My System"1,788,1151 colspan="5" Final 5Klara Almström""803,3125377,0484341,180,3603Out 6Brandsta City Släckers""1,457,2642961,6389412,418,902 Final + Round 2 detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 1 "Glitter" 8 8 5 8 3 3 3 3 2 "Oxygen" 3 3 3 3 8 12 8 10 3 "Honey Honey" 10 10 10 10 10 8 10 8 5 "" 5 5 8 5 5 5 5 5 6 "" 12 12 12 12 12 10 12 12
Heat 3 The third heat took place on 14 February 2026 at the Kristianstad Arena in Kristianstad. A total of 8,511,090 votes were cast using 522,498 devices, with collected for . ArtistSongRound 1Round 2Result 1Patrik Jean"Dusk Till Dawn"742,6105379,3434341,121,9533Out 2Korslagda"King of Rock 'n' Roll"782,5984467,6866731,250,2842Out 3Emilia Pantić""599,9376246,894245846,8314Out 4Medina"Viva L'Amor"1,593,0681 colspan="5" Final 5Eva Jumatate"Selfish"1,035,5063659,3988021,694,9041 6Saga Ludvigsson"Ain't Today"1,142,8732861,1729012,004,045Final + Round 2 detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 1 "Dusk Till Dawn" 8 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 2 "King of Rock 'n' Roll" 5 8 8 10 8 8 8 12 3 "" 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 "Selfish" 10 12 12 8 10 10 10 8 6 "Ain't Today" 12 10 10 12 12 12 12 10
Heat 4 The fourth heat took place on 21 February 2026 at the Malmö Arena in Malmö. A total of 7,692,104 votes were cast using 500,686 devices, with collected for . ArtistSongRound 1Round 2Result 1Cimberly"Eternity"1,055,1373582,6398811,637,776Final 2Timo Räisänen""597,9646281,541434879,5053Out 3Meira Omar""1,183,3322688,3087621,871,6401 4Felix Manu""617,3995255,032395872,4314Out 5 Erika Jonsson""676,4324309,338583985,7702Out 6Smash into Pieces"Hollow"1,444,980 1 colspan="5" Final + Round 2 detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 1 "Eternity" 10 10 12 10 12 12 10 12 2 "" 3 3 3 5 8 5 8 8 3 "" 12 12 10 12 10 10 5 5 4"" 8 8 8 3 3 3 3 3 5 "" 5 5 5 8 5 8 12 10
Heat 5 The fifth heat took place on 28 February 2026 at the Gärdehov Arena in Sundsvall. A total of 7,762,440 votes were cast using 489,937 devices, with collected for . ArtistSongRound 1Round 2Result 1AleXa"Tongue Tied"882,8724513,4915541,396,3631 2Juliett""874,6975478,1316731,352,8283Out 3Bladë"Who You Are"658,1346295,431305953,5654Out 4Lilla Al-Fadji"Delulu"1,099,787 1 colspan="5" Final 5Vilhelm Buchaus"Hearts Don't Lie"883,0633495,9586821,379,0212Out 6Sanna Nielsen"Waste Your Love"958,2362622,6408411,580,876Final + Round 2 detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 1 "Tongue Tied" 12 12 5 10 5 3 3 5 2 "" 10 10 10 5 8 8 8 8 3 "Who You Are" 5 3 3 3 3 5 5 3 5 "Hearts Don't Lie" 3 5 12 8 10 10 10 10 6 "Waste Your Love" 8 8 8 12 12 12 12 12
Final qualification At the end of the fifth heat, a final qualification round took place, consisting of the most-voted non-qualifying song from each heat. The two most voted songs qualified for the final; the age group system was not used for this vote, but the results from the heats were added to it to determine the result of the final qualification. More specifically, for the heat points, the total number of votes (excluding votes from Radiohjälpen voting group) for each song in each show were divided by the total number of voters (devices) in each show. Then 1,000 points were distributed amongst the songs based on those ratios. The song with the most points immediately advanced to the final. Once the voting has ended, an additional 800 points were distributed amongst the four remaining entries, based on how viewers have voted during the final qualification round. A total of 2,568,015 votes were cast using 366,012 devices, with collected for . Artist Song Heat Total Place Result 11Jacqline"Woman"1974602,2361883853Out 12 Robin Bengtsson "Honey Honey"2042746,2432334371Final 13Eva Jumatate"Selfish"1983673,9442104082Out 14Meira Omar"Dooset daram"2271 colspan="4" Final 15AleXa"Tongue Tied"1745545,5921693434Out
Final
The final took place on 7 March 2026 at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm. A total of 24,063,713 votes were cast using 962,495 devices, with collected for . SVT Play also provided a stream of the final with English commentary by William Lee Adams and Bella Qvist. Artist Song Juries Public Total Place 1 A-Teens "Iconic" 31 36 67 7 2Meira Omar"Dooset daram" 33 8 41 9 3Lilla Al-Fadji"Delulu" 24 39 63 8 4Saga Ludvigsson"Ain't Today" 5 13 18 12 5Smash into Pieces"Hollow" 49 41 90 4 6Cimberly"Eternity" 48 30 78 6 7Medina"Viva L'Amor" 66 66 132 3 8 Greczula "Half of Me" 64 70 134 2 9 Robin Bengtsson "Honey Honey" 22 7 29 11 10Felicia"My System" 71 90 161 1 11Sanna Nielsen"Waste Your Love" 17 16 33 10 12Brandsta City Släckers"" 34 48 82 5 + Detailed international jury votes Song Total 1 "Iconic" 3 8 5 7 2 6 31 2"Dooset daram" 8 1 2 4 3 7 8 33 3"Delulu" 6 7 6 1 3 1 24 4"Ain't Today" 4 1 5 5"Hollow" 2 7 6 8 6 6 4 10 49 6"Eternity" 1 8 3 7 8 10 6 5 48 7"Viva L'Amor" 5 12 10 5 7 12 12 3 66 8 "Half of Me" 12 5 5 12 10 5 8 7 64 9 "Honey Honey" 10 3 3 2 1 3 22 10"My System" 7 12 10 12 8 10 12 71 11"Waste Your Love" 6 2 1 2 2 4 17 12"" 4 10 4 1 4 4 5 2 34 International jury spokespersons David Tserunyan Zlata Mück Sušec Mariangela Borneo Alexandra Redde-Amiel Dominika Hašková Ashley Doodkorte Helena Paparizou Jaakko Oleander-Turja