The Intervision Song Contest 2025 successfully relaunched itself as a major cultural event, fulfilling its core mission of establishing a "multi-polar" alternative to Western song contests. However, with the 2026 edition set to be hosted by Saudi Arabia and expected to attract record participation—likely surpassing the 23 countries seen in Moscow—the contest faces a critical logistical challenge: the single Grand Final format might no longer be sustainable.
The implementation of Semifinals does not seem to be an optional rule change for Intervision 2026; it appears to be the only viable path forward for the contest to manage its growth, enhance its prestige, and ensure a competitive, high-quality broadcast.
The Necessity of Managing Growth
The Intervision 2025 Final already featured 23 countries performing on a single night. While still manageable, the show lasted more than four hours. A longer run would risk viewer fatigue. It has been confirmed by officials that the 2026 edition in Saudi Arabia is expected to attract more participants than the inaugural event. If the contest grows to 30 or more countries, a single-night final becomes impractical. Splitting the field into two or three nights allows the show to manage a higher volume of participants while keeping the Grand Final to a prime-time, competitive length of roughly 20 entries.
Elevating Competition and Broadcast Quality
A single Grand Final forces all countries to compete simultaneously, diluting attention and making the voting process feel abrupt. Semifinals give each entry more time and focus. Rather than rushing through 23 acts, two or three separate nights can be dedicated to showcasing 15 performances each, allowing the audience and jury to truly engage with the songs, which is critical for a contest emphasizing "real music" and "national identity." The current format lacks the built-in 'drama' of qualification. Introducing Semifinals creates a multi-day event, building genuine anticipation and, most importantly, a much-needed buzz around which countries will "make the cut" for the Grand Final. This is vital for cultivating the grassroots fan culture that the contest is currently trying to build.
Justifying the International Professional Jury
In 2025, the winner was decided solely by a single International Professional Jury composed of one juror from each country. Asking a single juror to rank 23, and potentially 30 or more, songs in one sitting is a monumental and potentially subjective task. Splitting the entries across two Semifinals would allow the jury to focus their attention and provide more considered, high-quality scoring across two evenings, thereby bolstering the perceived professionalism and integrity of the jury-only result. An idea to consider is splitting the jurors (if we are speaking of two semis) to the semifinal their country is not competing, thus making the result uncertain for the final as well.
Setting a Precedent for Institutionalization
The decision to host the 2026 event in Saudi Arabia demonstrates that Intervision is not a one-off political spectacle, but a serious attempt at long-term institutionalization. Implementing a Semifinal structure now, while the contest is still relatively small, sets a vital precedent for scalability. It prepares the organization for future growth across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, ensuring that Intervision can welcome any number of countries that wish to join its growing, multi-polar alliance.
For Intervision 2026 to succeed in its new, ambitious location, it must evolve beyond the simple single-night format. Semifinals are necessary to ensure the event is logistically feasible, structurally competitive, and capable of generating the sustained viewer engagement required to establish a lasting global presence.
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