WATCH HERE: Eurovision Handover & Semi-Final Allocation Draw 2023

The Allocation Draw will determine whether countries participate in the First Semi-Final (Tuesday 9 May at 21:00 CEST) or the Second Semi-Final (Thursday 11 May at 21:00 CEST). Also randomly allocated is whether a country will perform in the first or second half of the Semi-Final they’ve drawn.

Taking place in front of an invited audience, AJ and Rylan will conduct the live draw assisted by young people from a local Liverpool school and members of the Ukrainian community who have settled in Liverpool since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The show will also see the Mayor of 2022 Host City Turin, Stefano Lo Russo hand over the official keys of the Eurovision Song Contest, known as the ‘Insignia’, to the Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, and will be the night the 2023 Contest’s unique look and slogan is unveiled.

Semi-Final Allocation Draw 2023 – How does it work?

Simply put: there are too many countries to compete in one Grand Final alone, so the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) divides the participating nations between two Semi-Finals using an Allocation Draw.

The countries that will take part in the Semi-Finals are divided into pots based on their historic voting patterns and then chosen at random to compete in either the First or Second Semi-Final.

This way, countries that traditionally award each other points are less likely to end up in the same Semi-Final, adding excitement to the live shows. The pots are approved by the Contest’s Executive Supervisor on behalf of the EBU and the Chairman of the Reference Group, the Contest’s governing body.

In addition, as the so-called ‘Big Five’ (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) and the Host Country automatically qualify for the Grand Final, the Allocation Draw also determines which Semi-Final those countries can vote in.

This year, both Ukraine and the United Kingdom automatically qualify for the Grand Final, as the United Kingdom is hosting the Contest on behalf of Ukraine who won in 2022.

Semi-Final Allocation Draw 2023 – Pots in 2023

Drawing countries from different pots helps to reduce the chance of so-called neighbourly voting and increases suspense in the Semi-Finals. You can get a good idea of how it will all work by watching the 2022 Allocation Draw on the official Eurovision YouTube channel.

Semi-Final Allocation Draw 2023 – Your hosts

BBC presenters Rylan and AJ Odudu will welcome viewers to the Handover and Allocation Draw, which will be broadcast live on the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel from 20:00 CET on Tuesday 31 January.

Rylan said:

‘From being part of the UK delegation since 2018, Eurovision has become such a big part of my life. I’m so excited to be presenting the handover and allocation draw which symbolises the start of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023; the year in which the United Kingdom hosts Ukraine’s party. It’s going to be an amazing year for Eurovision. I genuinely can’t wait.’

AJ Odudu said:

‘It’s so exciting to have the Eurovision Song Contest in the United Kingdom in 2023. New and existing fans are in for an event like no other come May with spectacular live shows on the BBC and a city take over in Liverpool, all with British creativity and Ukrainian culture at its core. I can’t wait to kick things off with the draw later this month.’

The draw will be hosted by AJ Odudu and Rylan and fans will be able to watch on the official Eurovision YouTube channel (or on BBC TWO or BBC iPlayer if you’re in the United Kingdom).

Eurovision Handover & Allocation Draw 2023

Illustration: ‘United By Music’ – image of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on the façade of St George’s Hall in Liverpool – photo by James Stack (BBC)
Source: Eurovision.tv