2026 Odds Review: Mid-Rehearsals Check In
We’re at that very uneven point in rehearsals where we have snippets of some, just pictures of others and are completely blind on the automatics. Nevertheless I have a spare half hour and there’s been enough going on to take a look at what’s been happening in the odds.
Greece have been the first country up from the favourites and have seen a drift in their price since their snippet came out. All the usual caveats apply and whilst it’s easy to read too much into a 30 second work in progress where the key feature is being deliberately held back, I won’t argue against a bit of a cool off here, coming from someone pro-Akylas. This is an open year and it’s unlikely a country can get away with a non top-tier staging to win. Is that what this is? I don’t know yet, no-one does. But a little doubt is reasonable. Interestingly, broadcaster ERT released a bunch more pics a couple of hours later looking more promising yet still hiding the central prop/concept. From the same semi perhaps to the benefit of Greece, Moldova also looks a work in progress and has been received negatively on the outright. Continuing the theme, Sweden are self reportedly not thrilled with their second rehearsal despite being a more known quantity.
We’re on photos and hints alone on semi two so if taking the above opinions and moves with a grain of salt go and grab a whole shaker for these here. Bulgaria for my money and seemingly the broader market have potentially undercooked things but the concept holds promise and there’s a revamped ending. Romania have gone down better with fans and Alexandra certainly looks striking whilst their glow stick ropes really need to be seen in action rather than stills. Likewise for Czechia bringing a mirror set-up. A drift on Cyprus, who I felt were already long at 120~ feels unjustified based off solid pictures but maybe people wanted more…
Denmark are as you were and looking fine and have jumped to 2nd in the live odds marginally, more due to the Greece fall. Australia are keeping cards close to their chest but have teased some elevation whilst Ukraine seem to have gone with billowing sheets as their big moment whilst bringing in some ethnic instrumentation - looking nice but have drifted further. Lastly, Malta’s promotional push has been kicking into full gear with them at times shorter to win the whole thing than the semi or come top 3 even telling you everything. For what it’s worth ‘Bella’ may end up looking like a genuine jury challenger and the staging effort is encouraging.
Finland are looking like a carbon copy of UMK, the pros and cons of which aren’t worth debating again and the only non-subjective question of Pete’s vocals in the cllimax no closer to being answered by the snippet shown. More interesting developments came not long ago with news Linda will be playing the violin live in parts. Debateable what this changes in terms of points expectations but unless some live disaster somehow happens it’s hard to see it as a negative, particular with what this might say about where the EBU are putting their eggs.
An interesting angle is the fact that Finland are of course not performing in a vacuum and are competing against other countries who might quite have fancied playing their own instruments too - a problem perhaps for next year’s contest to clarify but worth mentioning how happy any of these will be at what is hard to see as anything other but favouritism. Fans can have favourites, betting markets too, but this looks murkier.
There’s also the fact that if mentioned by commentators and made aware to jurors that Linda is “actually playing live” the obvious conclusion is that the others aren’t. Any impact there on Delta’s credibility for example? Anyway, we are deep into the wormhole here so I’ll crawl back out and just state the fact: a combination of this and Greece’s perceived issues have seen them reach the shortest price of the season and they will certainly not be dislodged from there before Semi One comes to a close at the earliest.
