Malta’s national broadcaster PBS has confirmed the full running order for the live Semi-Final of its Eurovision 2026 selection Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
🇲🇹 MESC 2026: Aidan opens the Semi-Final
Before the announcement of the running order, the Maltese broadcaster held a random draw to determine the opening and closing acts of the live Semi-Final. This draw selected Aidan’s song ‘Bella’ to open the show, with Nathan’s ‘Ganador’ closing the Semi-Final. Afterwards, the show producers decided the placements for the remaining acts. The full running order is as follows:
- Aidan – ‘Bella‘
- Ema – ‘Achikuku (Don’t Think About It)‘
- Chess Galea – ‘Shout It Out‘
- Liston Bongailas – ‘Mela‘
- Franklin Calleja – ‘Guide You Home‘
- Kelsey Attard – ‘Perfectly Broken‘
- Matthew Cilia – ‘Brutality Mentality‘
- Mark Anthony Bartolo – ‘Mumenti sbieħ‘
- Denise – ‘Trophy‘
- Kurt Anthony – ‘On the Borderline‘
- Rhiannon Micallef – ‘Hold Myself Up‘
- Stefan Gaela – ‘Pose‘
- Matt Blxck – ‘Ejja lejja ħdejja ‘l hawn (The Flute)‘
- Adria Twins – ‘Nerġà nqum‘
- Kelsie Borg – ‘Let a Girl Breathe‘
- Mychael Bartolo Chircop – ‘My Sweet Angel‘
- Janice Mangion – ‘Univers‘
- Nathan Psaila – ‘Ganador‘
During the live Semi-Final on January 15 the combination of the viewer televotes and jury votes will decide the 12 acts that will compete in the MESC 2026 Grand Final to represent Malta on the Vienna stage at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 this May.
For the Semi-Final, audiences will be treated to a performance from Tommy Cash who represented Estonia in Eurovision 2025 and placed third overall. Meanwhile, Croatia’s 2024 runner-up, Baby Lasagna and last years’ Maltese representative, Miriana Conte will perform as interval acts in the Grand Final.
Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest
Malta first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971 with Joe Grech and his song, ‘Marija I-Malitja’, which finished in last place with 52 points. They also finished last on their second attempt in the contest in 1972. After a third appearance in 1975, Malta withdrew from the contest until 1991, when they returned and finished in sixth place with 106 points.
Since their return in 1991, Malta has finished in the top three on four occasions – Mary Spiteri with ‘Little Child’ in 1992 and Chiara with ‘The One That I Love‘ in 1998 which both finished in third place. Also, Ira Losco with ‘7th Wonder’ in 2002 and Chiara with ‘Angel’ in 2005, which both finished in second place. Thus, making the Mediterranean island one of the most successful to never win the contest outright.
Last year, Malta was represented by the MESC 2025 winner, Miriana Conte. During the Basel contest, ‘Kant’ finished in 17th place in the Grand Final with 91 points.
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