Finland, the pre-tournament favorite according to bookmakers, failed to impress at the Eurovision 2026 final, finishing sixth. Dara from Bulgaria emerged victorious with her song "Bangaranga." Prior to the final, bookmakers had given Finland a 40% chance of winning, with Australia second at 23%. Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, representing Finland, scored 279 points with their performance of "Liekinheitin."

The top five finalists were Bulgaria, Israel, Romania, Australia, and Italy. Despite not making it into the top five, Linda Lampenius received special approval to play her violin live on stage during the final, breaking a strict rule of the Eurovision that instruments must be pre-recorded. This was the first time in 28 years that such a rule was broken.

The performance of "Liekinheitin" by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen can be seen on YouTube.

Finnish Performer Receives Special Approval

Linda Lampenius, a Finnish violinist, received rare and special approval to perform her instrument live on stage during the Eurovision 2026 final in Vienna. This decision broke a strict Eurovision rule that has not been violated in 28 years, which states that all instrumental accompaniment on stage must be pre-recorded.