In the spotlights: Sam Ryder

It’s Tuesday, November 25, 2025, and time for another weekly update! This week the Eurovision community saw major news straight from the EBU. A comprehensive overhaul of the Eurovision Song Contest voting system was announced ahead of Vienna 2026. The news was accompanied by an open letter to fans. Meanwhile, Eurovision’s online presence got a big upgrade with the launch of a brand-new official website. Plans for Eurovision 2026 tickets were revealed. The road to the 70th Contest is truly heating up. Here are this week’s top stories: Contest Updates Martin Green Addresses Fans in Open Letter on Voting Changes Martin Green, the Eurovision Song Contest Director, has written an open letter to the fan community about upcoming voting change. He acknowledged concerns raised after Eurovision 2025 and said the EBU spent the summer reviewing issues and consulting broadcasters. Green stressed the need to “strengthen trust” in the Contest’s fairness and keep Eurovision a “neutral space” where music unites people. He assured fans that a “series of significant changes” in 2026 will  as the Contest moves forward. 📷 Martin Green, EBU Eurovision 2026 Voting Overhaul: Key Rule Changes Unveiled The EBU has unveiled a major overhaul of Eurovision voting rules for 2026. These updates aim to ensure a fairer contest after concerns last year. Stricter promotion rules will now ban any broadcaster or artist from supporting third-party voting campaigns (including government-backed drives) that could distort the results. The maximum number of votes per viewer (per payment method) is being halved from 20 to 10. This encourages viewers to spread their support across multiple entries. Professional juries will return to the Semi-Finals. A roughly 50/50 jury–public vote balance is restored. Each national jury is expanding from 5 to 7 members (with at least two aged 18–25) to add more diverse expertise. In addition, enhanced anti-fraud systems will monitor and block any suspicious or coordinated voting activity. Together, these measures are designed to strengthen trust and transparency in the lead-up to Eurovision 2026. Fan Updates Official Eurovision Website Moves to Eurovision.com Eurovision’s official website has a new home. The organisation has launched Eurovision.com as the “new home for everything” Eurovision, replacing the longtime Eurovision.tv site. The old site will shut down next week. The modernised platform is fully accessible and packed with features. One highlight is a comprehensive Contest database covering all 70 editions of the contest, dating back to 1956. Fans can also create a free “Eurofan” account on the site. This offers early ticket access, exclusive merchandise, special perks and personalised content. The Eurovision app, Junior Eurovision site, and other digital platforms will be updated over the coming months to match the new site. New features will start rolling out from February, as the road to Vienna 2026 officially begins on this upgraded online hub. Eurovision 2026 Tickets: Registration Required for January Sale Tickets for Eurovision 2026 are on the way, but fans need to act now to secure their chance. The first wave of tickets will go on sale on Tuesday 13 January 2026 at 13:00 CET. To participate in this sale, fans must pre-register during the current registration window (open now until 18 December 2025). Registration involves creating a free Eurofan account on the new official website and signing up with Eurovision’s ticketing partner, Oeticket, using the same email address. Only those who complete both steps by 18 December will receive an email in early January with a personal link and access code to buy tickets. Each code will allow the purchase of up to four tickets. Demand is expected to be very high. Receiving a code doesn’t guarantee tickets. Additional ticket sales rounds are likely to follow later, so fans who miss out should keep an eye on official updates.   source: eurovision.tv