Dara of Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with her song 'Bangaranga' in Vienna, securing 516 points. Israel's contestant finished second with 343 points, followed by Romania and Australia in the 70th edition of the competition. However, amid the festivities and dramatic scoreboard unveiling, many fans wondered what the Eurovision winner takes home.
Does Eurovision 2026 winner Dara get prize money?
Despite its global popularity, Eurovision does not award any cash prize to the winner. According to reports from OK Magazine and The Mirror, Dara's reward for winning Eurovision 2026 is the iconic Crystal Microphone trophy, which has been presented to champions since 2008. The trophy is handcrafted from glass and designed to resemble a vintage 1950s microphone, created by Swedish artist Kjell Engman of Kosta Boda. Smaller replica trophies are also reportedly given to the winning songwriters and composers.
Although winning Eurovision does not come with a monetary prize, it can open up numerous opportunities in the music industry, such as a surge in growth and international recognition.
Eurovision winners in the past who created history
Past Eurovision winners have become world-famous musicians. In 1974, ABBA won for Sweden and went on to become one of the world's largest pop groups. In 1988, Celine Dion sang for Switzerland and built a decades-long international music career. More recently, the Italian rock band Maneskin capitalized on their Eurovision victory to embark on a successful international tour and headline major festivals.
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
The BBC confirmed that Dara won Eurovision 2026 with a combined jury and public vote total of 516 points for 'Bangaranga'. Following the announcement, the singer returned to the stage for a celebratory performance as the Vienna crowd erupted. The final leaderboard placed Israel second on 343 points, with Romania, Australia, and Italy also finishing among the strongest performers of the night.
Earlier scoreboard updates from Radio Times showed tight competition throughout the evening, with countries including Finland, France, and Denmark also drawing significant support during voting. The United Kingdom's entrant, Sam Battle, better known as Look Mum No Computer, finished last after previously joking he was prepared for 'nul points.'
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