LexC

Norway's my guilty pleasure of the year but this still should've been KEiiNO!

Also a late convert to this but highkey bopping to Ukraine!

Regardless of how well the UK does it feels like we've at least put the effort in this year which is a step up at least!

My family seem convinced Malta is the winner for whatever the opinions of three 35+ straight people are worth!

I'm a late convert to it but Russia is a TOTAL BANGER!

We've waited for so long I can't believe it's really happening!

I aint mad with Cleopata Hari

So my usual pre-final "where are we going next year?" speculation post is here for your nerve, exploring the possibilities for each potential winner. Italy If Italy win, as the plan was for 2017, odds are the contest will be in Turin (which the delegation has said was their preferred option for last time if they won) with their biggest and most modern indoor concert venue with Milan a close second even though their arena is technically outside the city limits in "Assago". Rome's is a bit too small and the other concert venue option in Pesaro is a bit too far away. France If France get the win then one would assume that Paris would be the frontrunner for hosting duties but if they felt like they needed to move it to somewhere else, Lyon and Montpellier would be the other potential options Switzerland There's decently sized arenas in Bern and Zurich. Geneva could work but their arenas a bit on the small side Ukraine See the discussions in 2017. Kyiv has the best venue and infrastructure but if they don't want it a third time then Lviv or Odessa are the next best thing. Iceland There's technically venues with a big enough capacity for them in Reykjavík that says they've had attendances of 15,000 standing room only gigs but I might have to defer to jafet on this one since I can't find any up to date interior pictures of it. Malta Slightly more complicated for Malta as there is technically a venue in Ta'Qali (a good drive away from Valletta/St Julians where basically all the hotels are) that says it can have up to 22,000 spectators but it is, essentially, a semi-permanent tent structure

16 please!

This is such an incredibly difficult year to call among the top group that it feels like the one that actually wins will be almost at random. Gun to my head I'd put the top 10 as: 01 Italy 02 Malta 03 Iceland 04 Switzerland 05 Ukraine 06 Cyprus 07 Lithuania 08 France 09 Sweden 10 San Marino Key things, I can see France being a flop on the televote and Ukraine being KEiiNO'd by the juries. I have Italy taking it at the moment but as the old rule goes "the jury or the televote, Italy never wins both!" so there could be enough nixing of their points to make them slip into 2nd place behind Malta who I don't see as completely out of the race as some people do. But as usual, I'll be totally wrong!

Malta been done dirty! That running order feels like its angling for an Italian victory.

1. Cyprus 2. Albania 3. Israel 4. Belgium 5. Russia 6. Malta 7. Portugal 8. Serbia 9. United Kingdom 10. Greece 11. Switzerland 12. Iceland 13. Spain 14. Moldova 15. Germany 16. Finland 17. Bulgaria 18. Lithuania 19. Ukraine 20. France 21. Azerbaijan 22. Norway 23. The Netherlands 24. Italy 25. Sweden 26. San Marino

Cyprus opening and San Marino closing confirmed! *.*

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!

So my version would be 01 United Kingdom 02 Portugal 03 Serbia 04 Russia 05 Albania 06 Israel 07 Switzerland 08 Cyprus 09 Spain 10 Iceland 11 Greece 12 Belgium 13 Malta BREAK 14 Germany 15 Finland 16 Moldova 17 Sweden 18 Azerbaijan 19 Norway 20 Italy 21 Bulgaria 22 Lithuania 23 Netherlands 24 Ukraine 25 France 26 San Marino That run from Sweden to San Marino would be ALL KILLER NO FILLER territory!

First Half Albania Belgium Cyprus Greece Iceland Israel Malta Portugal Russia Serbia Spain Switzerland United Kingdom Second Half Azerbaijan Bulgaria Finland France Germany Italy Lithuania Moldova Norway San Marino Sweden The Netherlands (#23) Ukraine

San Marino are second half - show closer please!

Portugal and Iceland draw first half.

Albania and Serbia have drawn first half, Bulgaria and Moldova second half.

I will take those results! Moldova in Denmark's place is an exchange I can live with.

Gave three votes to San Marino and two each to Denmark and Serbia.

Denmark is my guilty pleasure this year and I so hope that qualifies!

Latvia is pure ARTPOP - in that its a misjudged flop!

Helena *.*

Definitely think Portugal are qualifying after that performance!