Portugal won its first Eurovision title in 53 years of participation, the longest wait for victory in the contest's history.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 62nd Eurovision Song Contest
- Participating countries
- 42
- Winning song
- "Amar pelos dois" by Salvador Sobral (Portugal)
- Portugal's wait for victory
- 53 years of participation
- TV viewership
- 182 million
- Host venue
- International Exhibition Centre, Kyiv
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ukraine earned the right to host the 2017 contest after Jamala won the 2016 edition with "1944" for the National Television Company of Ukraine. Hosting duties passed to the newly formed Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine. Russia's entry was blocked after its representative had illegally entered Crimea from Russian territory.
The 62nd Eurovision Song Contest was held in Kyiv across two semi-finals on 9 and 11 May and a grand final on 13 May 2017, with 42 countries competing. Salvador Sobral performed the ballad "Amar pelos dois", written by his sister Luísa Sobral, winning both the jury vote and the public televote to give Portugal its first ever Eurovision victory.
Portugal's win was the first victory entirely in a native language since Serbia in 2007, and the top three finishers — Portugal, Bulgaria, and Moldova — all achieved their best-ever Eurovision placings. Host nation Ukraine finished a record-low 24th. The contest drew 182 million viewers, 22 million fewer than the 2016 record audience.
Work
Eurovision Song Contest 2017
Portugal's first Eurovision victory after 53 years highlighted the contest's capacity to reward understated, native-language ballads, and set records for the longest national wait for a win in Eurovision history.