Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The event, which will take place in Liverpool, has only 37 countries participating. This is the lowest number since 2014, when the festival was held in Copenhagen.
This year, forty countries participated in the Eurovision Song Contest, which was organized by Italy in Turin. Next year there will be three less.
Organizers announced today that Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia will not participate in 2023. The latter two will miss the event due to high costs. Bulgaria did not provide an official reason.
Macedonia will not participate for the first time since 2003. Montenegro returned last year after a year’s absence. Bulgaria was not there last time in 2019.
Ukrainian winners 2022: Kalush Orchestra.
Ukrainian winners 2022: Kalush Orchestra.
picture: Environmental Protection Agency
Six countries secured their place in the final
Of the 37 countries, 31 countries, including the Netherlands, will play in the semi-finals. Four of the Big Five (France, Germany, Italy and Spain) and host countries the United Kingdom and Ukraine have already secured a place in the final.
The UK, usually one of the Big Five, will stage the event in 2023 with Ukraine, winner of the previous edition. Due to the war with Russia, the Eurovision Song Contest is currently not possible in Ukraine. Next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place between May 9 and 13 in Liverpool.