Semi-Final Introduction

As more broadcasters joined the contest, relegation of low-scoring countries gave way to a semi-final, first held in 2004. With a record 43 entries, a second semi-final was added in 2008, and since then each contest has been three live shows held over one week in May. Today every broadcaster except the host and the Big Five competes in one of the two semi-finals, and the ten highest-scoring songs in each go through to the final. Countries knocked out in a semi-final still vote in the final.