Greece has selected its representative for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, with Akylas (Akylas Mytilinaios) emerging victorious after an energetic national final. His song "Ferto," co-written by Akylas with Orpheus Nonis, Theofilos "Teo Buzz" Pouzbouris, secured a ticket to Vienna by winning over both the public and the juries.
Akylas, a Greek singer-songwriter born in Serres in 1999, first gained wider recognition through performances on Greek talent shows. His entry outperformed 13 other finalists in Greece's national final, securing the highest possible score across all voting groups. The result was determined through a combined system comprising 50% public televote, 25% Greek jury and 25% international jury. The international panel featured representatives from Germany, Georgia, Serbia, France and Moldova.
The 14 finalists of Greece's national selection were:
1. STYLIANOS - "YOU & I"
2. D3lta - "Mad About It"
3. Mikay - "Labyrinth"
4. Marika - "Daughters of the Sun (A, E, I, O, U)"
5. Marseaux - "I'm Losing Myself"
6. goodjobNicky - "Dark Side of the Moon"
7. KOZA MOSTRA - "Bulletproof"
8. STEFI - "Europa"
9. Rosanna Mailan - "Leap"
10. Evangelia - "Paréa"
11. ZAF - "Funny"
12. Akylas - "Ferto"
13. leroybroughtflowers - "SABOTAGE!"
14. Alexandra Sieti - "The Other Side"
The final opened with a tribute to Greece's Eurovision legacy, featuring Klavdia, hosts Giorgos Kapoutzidis, Betty Maggira, and Katerina Vrana, in a musical retrospective of iconic Greek entries such as "Diko Sou Asteri," "Anoixi," and Antique's "Die For You." The 14 finalists then performed together, presenting classics like "Mathima Solfege" and "My Secret Combination."
The evening also marked the 20th anniversary of Greece hosting Eurovision in Athens, following Helena Paparizou's victory in 2005. A video tribute to "My Number One" recalled Greece's Eurovision triumph. The show's artistic direction was led by renowned choreographer Fokas Evangelinos, who received a standing ovation.
Eurovision 2026 will be held in Vienna from 12 to 16 May, with Greece competing in the first half of the first semi-final on 12 May. Cyprus will appear in the second semi-final on 14 May, leading up to the grand final at Wiener Stadthalle on 16 May.
