The Eurovision winner does not receive any prize money after the Grand Final airs.
The Eurovision Song Contest has been a television institution for seven decades.
With a host of nations across the globe competing fiercely for the top spot year after year, you might expect the prize to be something extraordinarily lucrative, alongside the fame and recognition that comes with being crowned champion.
Yet it appears that the winner of this year’s eagerly awaited singing competition walks away without a single penny in prize money.
Instead, they receive the coveted Crystal Microphone trophy.
The trophy is handcrafted from glass and has served as the prize since 2008, according to reports.
It was originally conceived by Swedish artist Kjell Engman of Kosta Boda and is modelled on a 1950s microphone.
Miniature versions of the award are believed to be presented to the songwriters and composers behind the winning entry.
However, the true reward lies in the platform that winning the competition affords its contestants.
Back in 1974, ABBA triumphed for Sweden and became a global pop phenomenon virtually overnight.
Celine Dion flew the flag for Switzerland in 1988 and is now widely regarded as one of the finest vocalists of our generation.
More recently, in 2021, Italian act Maneskin headlined a major festival that same year, reports the Mirror.
Furthermore, the victorious nation is handed the honour of hosting the following year’s competition.
The UK’s Look Mum No Computer, whose real name is Sam Battle, is performing at the final on Saturday, in the bid to become the first British entry to win since 1997.
“It could go well or completely wrong – I’m just here for the ride,” he previously told the BBC.
He added: “Watching the semi-finals yesterday I thought, maybe we’ve got something a bit different.
“What we’re doing is Marmite – you either love it or hate it – but I think there’s a slot open for our sort of thing.”
“I always say to expect nothing,” he went on. “Because if you expect nothing, you lose nothing.
“And anyway, after Saturday night’s over, I’m getting straight on the plane and going back to nappy changing duties.”
Eurovision 2026 final airs on Saturday 16 May at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
