Dara wins Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026 and will represent Bulgaria at Eurovision 2026. Bulgaria has officially selected its representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Dara emerged victorious in the grand final of Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026, earning the right to represent the country at the European competition, which will take place in Vienna.
The grand final was held at BNT Studio 1 in Sofia and was hosted by Georgi Lyubenov and Boryana Gramatikova, with Vladimira Ilieva reporting from backstage alongside the competing artists. The final outcome was determined by a professional jury and an online public vote, which ultimately selected Dara as the winner of the competition.
Following her victory over the remaining finalists, Dara will represent Bulgaria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The song selection final is scheduled for February 28, when the track she will perform on the Eurovision stage will be chosen.
What were the results of the Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026 artist final?
Dara won Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026 after securing the highest combined score from the jury and the televote, followed by Mihaela Marinova in second place and Mona, who completed the podium. These were the full results of tonight’s grand final:
| Artist | TOTAL | Professional Jury | Online Vote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dara | 30 | 22 | 8 |
| 2nd | Mihaela Marinova | 26 | 19 | 7 |
| 3rd | Mona | 23 | 17 | 6 |
| 4th | Kerana & Cosmonauts | 23 | 18 | 5 |
| 5th | Preyah | 21 | 18 | 3 |
| 6th | Molec | 21 | 17 | 4 |
| 7th | Innerglow | 18 | 16 | 2 |
| 8th | Roksana | 17 | 16 | 1 |
How does Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026 work?
Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026 is the selection process organized by the Bulgarian public broadcaster BNT to choose Bulgaria’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Unlike other national finals, this format is structured into two separate stages: the selection of the artist, followed by the selection of the song.
Artist Semi-Final – January 24, 2026
The competition begins with an Artist Semi-Final, featuring fifteen contestants. Each artist performs a previously released song from their catalogue, which is not intended for Eurovision. The purpose of this show is to assess the performer rather than the song.
During the semi-final, a five-member jury awards scores ranging from 1 to 5, while the public vote creates a ranking that distributes points from 15 to 1. Viewers are allowed to vote only once per IP address, and the voting window remains open for 15 minutes after the final performance.
The combined results of the jury and public vote determine the seven artists who qualify for the next round.
Artist Final – January 31, 2026
The seven qualified artists compete in the Artist Final, once again performing a previously released song. The voting system mirrors that of the semi-final, with the jury awarding points from 1 to 7 and the public distributing points from 7 to 1 based on the voting results. The artist with the highest total score is selected as Bulgaria’s official representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
Song Final – February 28, 2026
Following the selection of the artist, the competition concludes with the Song Final. In this show, the chosen performer presents three original songs, all composed specifically for the Eurovision Song Contest. An expanded jury of ten members, alongside the public vote, evaluates the entries, awarding 3, 2, and 1 point. The song receiving the highest total score becomes Bulgaria’s official entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.