How to Watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the U.S.
Eurovision #Eurovision
Tonight’s the night—the final of the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest is taking place live in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Tonight, Saturday, May 22, sees 26 performers representing their respective countries in the Grand Final.
Many Americans may not be totally familiar with the annual spectacle—a beloved camp institution in Europe (and even Australia)—but for the first time ever, it will be possible to watch the show live from the U.S.
The event is a huge deal across the pond and it has been gradually creeping into American radars—thanks in part to Netflix’s Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams, which came out in 2020.
Since Peacock obtained the rights to both the 2021 and 2022 competitions, U.S. viewers can (legally) tune in this year and enjoy the action as it happens along with Europe.
Eurovision Grand Final: Saturday, 22 May, 2021, 3:00 ET.
This year’s show is available live and on-demand for later viewing on the NBC streaming platform.
Presenting the show this year are Chantal Janzen, Jan Smit, Edsilia Rombley and YouTuber Nikkie de Jager (NikkieTutorials).
The semi-finals have already taken place on May 18 and 20.
Rotterdam was due to host the contest in 2020 before the event was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Eurovision Song Contest will definitely make its welcome return this May despite the pandemic but, in the prevailing circumstances, it is regrettably impossible to hold the event in the way we are used to,” said Martin Österdahl, executive supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest.
“We’re grateful for the renewed commitment and backing from the City of Rotterdam and the ongoing support of all the participating broadcasters. We very much hope to be able to gather in Rotterdam in May and will do all we can in the coming weeks to achieve this. With an ever-changing situation we are taking our time to ensure that we can host the Eurovision Song Contest in the best and safest way possible.”
Who are the favorites? This year, San Marino and Iceland can make a strong case but Italy has consistently been the bookmakers’ top choice to take home the prestigious award.
Italy’s entry is the group Måneskin, with their track “Zitti e buoni.”
Malta, France and Switzerland also have a chance, while Cyprus and Bulgaria are among those expected to make the top rankings.
Eurovision Grand Final streams on Saturday, 22 May, 2021, 3:00 ET on Peacock. It will also be available on-demand after the initial broadcast.
Related Articles
Start your unlimited Newsweek trial