Melodifestivalen 2026 kicks off in Linköping – Greczula shines, A*Teens go iconic, and Jacqline keeps hope alive
Sweden’s Eurovision 2026 campaign is officially on, and the Saab Arena in Linköping just served us the first glittery spoonful of Melodifestivalen madness.
The always-fabulous Gina Dirawi returned to hosting duties alongside the ever-dry Hampus Nessvold, as six acts stepped into the ring for Heat One of Sweden’s legendary national selection.
Let’s just say… it didn’t disappoint.
Six acts, two spots in the final, and one dramatic maybe
Here’s who braved the spotlight in Heat One:
- Greczula – Half of Me
- Jacqline – Woman
- Noll2 – Berusade ord
- Junior Lerin – Copacabana Boy
- Indra – Beautiful Lie
- A*Teens – Iconic
Melodifestivalen being Melodifestivalen, the voting system remains delightfully extra.
First, the act with the most total votes qualifies directly for the final.
Then, a second finalist is selected based on the age-group vote, broken down by demographics and transformed into Eurovision-style points (12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5). Because why make it simple?
Meanwhile, the act finishing third isn’t out yet — they’ll go to the Final Qualifier, Sweden’s version of a musical redemption arc.
Greczula wins the night, A*Teens win the people
The crowd favourite was Greczula, whose Half of Me took the overall televote and secured a direct ticket to the 7 March final.
But let’s talk about A*Teens, who absolutely dominated the age-group vote, racking up 92 points and claiming the second golden spot in the final. Not bad for a group that knows exactly how to press the nostalgia button and still sound fresh.
Here’s how the age-group ranking played out:
- A*Teens – Iconic (92)
- Jacqline – Woman (67)
- Indra – Beautiful Lie (52)
- Noll2 – Berusade ord (49)
- Junior Lerin – Copacabana Boy (44)
That means Jacqline heads to the Final Qualifier with 67 points and one more shot at the big stage.
Final thoughts? We’ve only just begun
Heat One gave us drama, ballads, bops, a healthy dose of nostalgia, and just enough voting chaos to keep the eurofans buzzing.
Whether Greczula will keep the momentum, whether A*Teens can go all the way, and whether Jacqline’s fanbase will rise from the ashes… remains to be seen.
But one thing’s clear:
Melodifestivalen is back, and Sweden is once again making Eurovision look effortless.
Let the glitter games begin.
