La 1 and RTVE Play deliver tonight’s live coverage of the Eurovision 2023 grand final, airing at 21:00 local time. A panel of hosts, including Tony Aguilar and Julia Varela, returns to guide viewers through the big show from the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool. The final features performances from 26 participating nations as Europe and beyond tune in to witness the music competition organized by the European Broadcasting Union.
Blanca Paloma takes center stage with a performance built on powerful vocals, hypnotic energy, and a striking stage production. Her entry aims to captivate a global audience, with the show expected to reach hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.
In the opening segment of the show, Blanca Paloma is scheduled to perform eighth, placing her between acts from Cyprus and Sweden, presented by Andrew Lambrou and the iconic Loreen. The running order opens with a rock-heavy set from Austria, followed by appearances by Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Serbia, France, Albania, Italy, and several other finalists. The list continues with Estonia, Finland, the Czech Republic, Australia, Belgium, Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, Norway, Germany, Lithuania, Israel, Slovenia, Croatia, and finally the United Kingdom to close the evening.
Totally, 26 countries will compete in the final. Early predictions point to Sweden, Finland, France, Austria, Israel, and Spain as favorites. The broadcast expects a star-studded panel including Alesha Dixon, Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, and Julia Sanina. The show also features the Kalush Orchestra, returning with the theme United by Music, and last year’s top winner, crowned in Turin.
Following the gala, the special program Eurovision’s Great Night on La 1 will air. Aitor Arizburu will lead the coverage, collecting and presenting the night’s reactions and emotions as Blanca Paloma delivers her first remarks after the final results are announced.
Voting follows a mixed system. The audience vote accounts for 50 percent of the final score, while a professional jury contributes the remaining 50 percent. The juries’ votes are determined during the Friday night dress rehearsal and translate into standard Eurovision points: 12, 10, 8 through 1 to determine the top ten. Each participating country also reveals a separate jury result, while televoting is announced by spokespersons without impacting the jury tally. Viewers in Spain can cast votes using the Festival app in addition to SMS and traditional phone calls, ensuring broad participation across the country.
After all votes are tallied, the combined national televotes are added to the jury results. An option called rest of the world invites fans who did not attend the festival to participate, expanding engagement beyond the core European audience. The final outcome hinges on a blend of live performance, stagecraft, and collective voting from multiple fan bases around the world [Source: Eurovision organizers].