How many finalists should 2022 have?

[EDC0708]

In most recent years, we have had 26 finalists, traditionally the big 5 and host country joined by 20 semi final qualifiers. With this years host being a big 5 nation, should the number of finalists be reduced to 25 as a result, meaning an additional country will miss out, or should another system be put in place to fill the vacant 26th final slot?
My suggestion would be to give that slot to Switzerland, as the highest scoring non-big 5 country in 2021.

Other options could include:
- Give a wildcard to The Netherlands, as the most recent non big 5 winner
- Give a wildcard to a country at random, as part of the semi final draw
- Give a wildcard to the winning country from JESC 2021
- Announce an additional wildcard at the end of Thursday's semi final, perhaps to the country with the highest televote score from both semis to have not qualified, this could add additional excitement to that result, particularly for fans of songs eliminated on Tuesday, that they have a second shot at making it through.
- Increase the semi final qualifiers to 11 for each semi, and go up to 27 to match the 2015 contest.

What format would you go with for 2022?

 

[Gera11]

- Give a wildcard to The Netherlands, as the most recent non big 5 winner

No.

- Give a wildcard to a country at random, as part of the semi final draw

No.

- Give a wildcard to the winning country from JESC 2021

NO.

- Announce an additional wildcard at the end of Thursday's semi final, perhaps to the country with the highest televote score from both semis to have not qualified, this could add additional excitement to that result, particularly for fans of songs eliminated on Tuesday, that they have a second shot at making it through.

No.

- Increase the semi final qualifiers to 11 for each semi, and go up to 27 to match the 2015 contest.

Sure, why not.

What format would you go with for 2022?

I'd invite Kazakhstan as our 26th finalist. Or if EBU wants to play double standards once again, I'd change nothing.

 

[b4ld3r]

I'd prefer there to only be 25 finalists next year, rather than setting a precedent for the EBU having to come up with some new wacky gimmick to fill the final spot every time a Big 5 country wins. However, out of the options mentioned in this thread I would still prefer Kazakhstan or Turkey being invited to fill the slot rather than there being 11 qualifiers per semi.

 

[Ianp16]

I think 25 is fine. It's a nice round number. I was thinking recently that if they wanted more finalists the EBU could match the 27 finalists from Austria 2015 and have 11 qualifiers from each semi-final. Wouldn't be my choice but it would be kinder to the acts in the semi's and it can be done (even tho the 2015 final seemed to last forever! ).

 

[Mainshow]

EBU should have given Lithuania and Poland a direct slot in the final this year due to them not qualifying due to stupid jury members being too stupid to vote in the right order.

That said, I don't think we should come up with interesting but also far-fetched new and artsy-fartsy rules.

Like other members have already mentioned, it's time to let debut anyway.. if the EBU really wants to get that 26 in the final, let them finally in. This discrimination of neglecting them to participate has been going on far too long!

Eurovision 2011 was still a success - I guess that having 25, 26 or even 27 (like 2015) doesn't really change a thing.
I still don't get it why some of you want to even reduce the amount of finalists whilst we still have to deal with almost an hour of interval acts anyway. Thus, I don't think that listening to additional 3 or 6 minutes of Eurovision entries won't make such a big difference.

Btw, I low-key prefer seeing an "even" scoreboard and thus, I would prefer 26 in the end but it doesn't really matter.

 

[Rasmus0714]

Just keep it 25, so everybody can go to bed early.

 

[heke1988]

25 or 27 would be fine: 25 --> automatically finalist: France, Germany, Italy (host), Spain and United Kingdom + 20 qualifiers from semi-finals. 27 would be a same, but instaed of 20 qualifiers from semi-finals, it is 22.

 

[Sabrewulf238]

- Announce an additional wildcard at the end of Thursday's semi final, perhaps to the country with the highest televote score from both semis to have not qualified, this could add additional excitement to that result, particularly for fans of songs eliminated on Tuesday, that they have a second shot at making it through.

What format would you go with for 2022?

I like this option the most.

I don't see the bad side of another song in the final, especially considering we (in recent times) usually have that number anyway.

 

[empo21]

No wildcard ofc. 25 it totally fine and has been the norm until 2012. EBU can't/shouldn't come up with ideas for a 26th finalist everytime a member of the Big 5 wins...

or give the spot to a debutant now that the Australian hype is over. Invite Kazakhstan you cowards!