Eurovision 2024: channel, votes, participants… everything you need to know about the semi-final which will take place this evening

Slimane représentera la France à l'Eurovision 2024. dpa – Jens Büttner

The Eurovision semi-final will take place this Thursday, May 9, 2024 from 9 p.m. in France. Representatives from 16 participating countries will take the stage at the Malmö Arena in Malmö, Sweden. French viewers will be able to watch the show and participate in the vote.

The Eurovision semi-final will take place this Thursday, May 9, 2024. Representatives from 16 of the participating countries will take place on the stage of the Malmö Arena, in Malmö, Sweden . Ten of them will secure their place for Saturday's grand final, reports BFMTV .

Nous sommes ravis d’accueillir @thenickydoll chez @Eurovision avec @lolobocco & @bernstephane 🇫🇷 Demi-finales 7 & 9 mai, 21h, Nicky Doll live de Malmö sur @cultureboxlemission💋 Finale 11 mai, 21h, avec Laurence Boccolini & Stéphane Bern sur #France2 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CKSQDHHWGz

— Eurovision France 🇫🇷 (@EurovisionF2) March 26, 2024

Where is it broadcast ?

The show will be broadcast live on France 4 from 9 p.m. and will be hosted by drag queen Nicky Doll, host of Drag Race France. It will also be possible to watch it live on the Eurovision YouTube channel. 

Who will perform tonight ?

The 16 countries that will compete this evening are: Malta, Albania, Greece, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Austria, Denmark, Armenia, Latvia, San Marino, Georgia, Belgium, Estonia, Israel, Norway and finally the Netherlands.

The six countries automatically qualified for the final (France, Italy and Spain) will also perform in the semi-final. Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom have already passed during the premiere.

How to vote ?

Viewers can only vote during the semi-final in which their representative country performs. So, the French can vote this evening.

Voting for your own country is prohibited. To participate in the vote, spectators can go to the website www.esc.vote, download the official Eurovision application or do so by telephone or SMS. The number to contact will be displayed on the screen.

Since last year, countries that do not take part in the competition can participate in the vote. Their ways are united in the same category, called "The rest of the world" which counts as an additional country.

The outcome of the semi-finals depends on the spectator vote. It is only on the evening of the final that a jury of experts from each country participating in the qualification, and counts for 50% of the points awarded by each country.

Slimane will represent France

On the French side, it will be the singer Slimane and his title Mon amour who will represent the& rsquo;Hexagone at the final of the competition on May 11, and which follows La Zarra and her song Obviously.  Last year, the singer came in 16th position. Slimane's title evokes a romantic breakup that is difficult to accept.