LIVE – Eurovision 2022: candidates, favorites, preparation … Everything you need to know before the start of the competition

A total of 25 countries will compete against each other on Saturday evening. Twenty of them were selected during two semi-finals, Tuesday 10 and Thursday 12 May. Added to this list are the Big Five, the competition’s biggest financial contributors, who are automatically qualified. These are France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The evening is broadcast live on France 2 from 9 p.m., and hosted by Stephane Bernwho presented the evening for the first time in 2010, and Laurence Boccolini, who is commentating on the Eurovision Song Contest for the second consecutive year.

The official Eurovision YouTube account is also broadcasting live the ceremony presented in Turin by Mike and Laura Pausini, from the PalaOlimpico sports hall.

Less trivial than it seems, the order of passage during the evening can play a role in the final classification.

It is the Czech Republic which opens the ball this evening, with Lights Off, performed by We are Domi. The French move into sixth position and the Ukrainians into twelfth position.

If Ukraine dominates the forecasts this year, other candidates, certainly quite far behind, occupy the bookmakers’ podium.

Sweden and Great Britain are vying for second place. A great revenge for the British, who came last in Eurovision in 2021 and who are represented this year by Sam Ryder.

Italy follows with Mahmood & Blanco and Spain with Chanel.

We are never safe from a good surprise, but the French are far in the rankings, with their song Fulenn.

“Adrenaline takes precedence over stress,” Frenchmen Alvan & Ahez told us on Thursday. If the candidates, who sing in Breton, have the heavy task of succeeding Barbara Pravi, who offered France a second place last year in Rotterdam, they take this participation with philosophy.

They prefer “not to think about the ranking” and assure: “it’s not fear, it’s kiff”.

It makes you wonder if they haven’t already won. The Kalush Orchestra group, which this year represents Ukraine at Eurovision, has a 60% chance of winning, according to the predictions of bookmakers.

They interpret Stefaniawritten by the leader of the group in homage to his mother, and has become a real hymn to the motherland.

Their popularity is such that they were treated to a real “standing ovation” for their appearance on stage during the first semi-final.

“When you see Ukraine, during the first semi-final, go on stage, in front of 10,000 people standing screaming, tears in their eyes …”, thus evoked on BFMTV Mikhail the singerwhich presents Eurovision in Turin.