30 artists will compete across six weeks throughout January, February and March.

Sweden's biggest annual TV event that isn't a Christmas Eve broadcast of Donald Duck (it's true, look it up!) is back even earlier in 2026.

Saturday 31 January is the date when the mighty Melodifestivalen (or Mello if you're Swedish, Melfest if you're not) kicks off another six weeks of TV ratings and streaming chart dominance - before finally giving the 'songbird' trophy to its next winner on Saturday 7 March in Stockholm.

On Tuesday 2 December, Swedish broadcaster revealed the lineup of 30 names that will be competing in the five semi-finals touring across different Swedish cities each week.

Here are the artists you'll be seeing in each of the semis:

Semi-Final 1: Linköping

Indra - Beautiful Lie
Written by Anderz Wrethov, Indra, Kristofer Strandberg, Laurell Barker, Robert Skowronski

noll2 - Berusade Ord
Written by Fredrik Andersson, Jakob Westerlund, Wilmer Öberg

Junior Lerin - Copacabana Boy
Written by Fredrik Andersson

Greczula - Half of Me
Written by Andreas Weling, Karl Ivert, Kian Sang, Greczula

A*Teens - Iconic
Written by Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Lina Hansson, Moa ”Cazzi Opeia” Carlebecker, Thomas G:son

Jacqline - Woman
Written by Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Moa ”Cazzi Opeia” Carlebecker, Thomas G:son

Semi-Final 2: Göteborg

Klara Almström - Där Hela Världen Väntar
Written by Fredrik Sonefors, Jimmy Jansson, Klara Almström

Arwin - Glitter
Written by Arwin Ismail, Axel Schylström, Dino Medanhodzic, Melanie Wehbe, Robert Skowronski

Robin Bengtsson - Honey Honey
Written by Gavin Jones, Pär Westerlund, Petter Tarland, Robin Bengtsson

FELICIA - My System
Written by Audun Agnar, Emily Harbakk, FELICIA, Julie Bergan, Theresa Rex

Laila Adèle - Oxygen
Jonas Thander, Laila Adèle, Marcus Winther-John

Brandsta City Släckers - Rakt In i Elden
Written by Anderz Wrethov, Elin Wrethov, Kristofer Strandberg, Robert Skowronski

Semi-Final 3: Kristianstad

Saga Ludvigsson - Ain't Today
Written by Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Johanna "Dotter" Jansson, Saga Ludvigsson

Patrik Jean - Dusk Till Dawn
Written by David Lindgren Zacharias, Joy Deb, Melanie Wehbe, Patrik Jean

Emilia Pantić - Ingenting
Written by Emilia Pantić, Fredrik Andersson, Jakob Westerlund, Theodor Ström, Wilmer Öberg

Korslagda - King of Rock 'n' Roll
Written by Andreas Werling, Pedro Sanchez, Kristofer Strandberg, Stefan "UBBE" Sjur

Eva Jumanate - Selfish
Written by Eva Jumatate, Herman Gardarfve, Marlene Strand, Ruth Lindegren

Medina - Viva L'Amor
Written by Ali ”Alibrorsh” Jammali, Anderz Wrethov, Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Sami Rekik

Semi-Final 4: Malmö

Meira Omar - Dooset Daram
Written by Anderz Wrethov, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Laurell Barker, Meira Omar

Cimberly - Eternity
Written by Cimberly-Malaika Wanyonyi, David Lindgren Zacharias, Dino Medanhodzic, Melanie Wehbe

Erika Jonsson - Från Landet
Written by Amir Aly, Erika Jonsson, Mikael Karlsson

Felix Manu - Hatar Att Gag Älskar Dig
Written by Axel Schylström, Felix Manu, FERNAND MP, Karl Flyckt

Smash Into Pieces - Hollow
Benjamin Jennebo, Chris Adam Hedman Sörbye, Per Bergquist, Philip Strand

Timo Räisänen - Ingenting Är Efter Oss
Written by Andreas ”Giri” Lindbergh, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Joy Deb, Lina Räisänen, Linnea Deb, Timo Räisänen

Semi-Final 5: Sundsvall

Lilla Al-Fadji - Delulu
Written by Daniel Réhn, Edward af Sillén, Lilla Al-Fadji, Fredrik Sonefors, Melanie Wehbe, Mikaela Samuelsson

Vilhelm Buchaus - Hearts Don't Lie
Written by David Zandén, Isa Molin, Vilhelm Buchaus

JULIETT - Långt Från Alla Andra
Written by David Själin, Elias Kask, Herman Gardarfve, Ludvig Alamanos, Romeo Er-Melin, Valter Wigren

AleXa - Tongue Tied
Written by AleXa, Jonatan Gusmark, Ludvig Evers, Ellen Berg, Moa "Cazzi Opeia” Carlebecker

Sanna Nielsen - Waste Your Love
Written by Jimmy Jansson, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son

BLADË - Who You Are
Written by Isa Tengblad, Josefina Carlbom

Longtime viewers of the Eurovision Song Contest will recognise that two Melodifestivalen winners have returned once again.

Sanna Nielsen represented Sweden at the Contest in 2014 after winning Melodifestivalen with her song Undo, while Robin Bengtsson was the Melodifestivalen 2017 champ, singing I Can't Go On for Sweden in Kyiv that May.

Both songs ended up giving Sweden a Top 5 result at the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in 3rd place and 5th place respectively.

Eurovision fans might also recognise another name in AleXa! The Korean-American artist won the very first edition of American Song Contest with her pop bop Wonderland.

She reunites with some of the same Swedish writers behind that song for her Melodifestivalen entry Tongue Tied.

Melodifestivalen 2025 was won by the trio KAJ, who took Sweden to another Top 5 finish at the Grand Final in Basel with their ode to Scandi sauna culture, Bara Bada Bastu.