The voting arrangements for Junior Eurovision 2026 have been outlined ahead of the final at the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre in Ta’ Qali on 24 October. Unlike the adult Eurovision Song Contest, the junior competition allows viewers to support their own participating country. The outcome will again combine votes from national juries and the online public.
What to know
- Advance online voting opens at 23:59 CEST on 23 October and closes at 20:59 CEST on 24 October.
- Viewers choose three favourite songs and may include their own country.
- The winner is decided 50% by national juries and 50% by online voting.
The first public voting window opens on Friday 23 October at 23:59 Central European Summer Time, after the jury show. Viewers will be asked to watch a recap of the competing performances before choosing three favourites. A ballot requires three selections rather than only one; voters are not restricted to entries from other countries.
That advance voting period closes on Saturday 24 October at 20:59 CEST, shortly before the televised final starts. Viewers who plan to vote before the live broadcast should therefore pay attention to the time-zone difference. The pre-show window is designed to give audiences a way to participate after previewing the songs even if they cannot follow the whole final.
A second online voting opportunity will open during the live programme. According to the rules reported on 13 October, voting will reopen for 15 minutes and viewers can again choose their three favourite performances. The short live window is a separate chance to participate; the full instructions and voting link should be checked through the contest’s official channels.
The overall result is split equally: 50 percent comes from the national juries and 50 percent from the public online vote. Each of the 16 competing countries has a five-member jury consisting of three adults and two children. That composition means the professional and younger perspectives within each national panel contribute to the jury half of the final score.
Junior Eurovision 2026 takes place in Malta on 24 October, with 16 countries represented. The newly detailed voting system is especially relevant for supporters who previously assumed that voting for their own country was prohibited. The confirmed dates and the two voting stages provide a clear schedule for fans, although any last-minute technical instructions should come from the official voting platform.
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Last verified: 14 October 2026.
