MALMO - Twenty-six countries will compete on Saturday in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, the famous annual live music competition.
Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the final is to be held in the country that won the previous year's edition, Sweden.
- Who takes part? -
EBU member countries can send a candidate of their choice and affiliate member Australia, where the contest show is a huge success, has been taking part since 2015.
This year, 37 countries sent in entries, which must be no longer than three minutes and include no more than six people on stage.
Of these, only six entries -- the host country and the biggest contributors to the organisation Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the UK -- automatically qualify for the final.
- Semi-finals -
The 31 other countries must first make it through one of the semi-finals.
This year, the first, on May 7, had 15 participants and the second, on May 9, had 16.
Ten acts from each semi-final made it to the final, after winning the public vote from the participating countries.
The countries that automatically qualify also took the stage at the semi-finals to present their songs, but the public could not vote for them.
- How to vote? -
During the final, people in participating countries can vote by phone, text message or via an app. However, it is not possible to vote for your own country.
People in some countries that aren't participating in the contest are also allowed to vote.
The viewers' votes, made public at the end of the programme to heighten the suspense, are added to those of five-person professional juries from each country.
Songs that are placed at the top are awarded 12 points, the song in second place 10 and the song in third place 8.
After the votes are counted a final winner is declared.
- Who's next? -
This year's competition, despite the organiser's insistence on it being apolitical, was overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
More than 10,000 demonstrators protested on the streets of host city Malmo against Israel's participation this week.
The young Israeli candidate, Eden Golan, a 20-year-old with hair partially dyed pink, was tipped as finishing second according to bookmakers on the eve of the final.
Croatia's Baby Lasagna is tipped to be the winner and also in the running are Switzerland, with Nemo's "The Code", and France, with Slimane and "Mon amour".