These automatic qualifies will be slotted in between the songs competing in each Semi Final. Previously, the Big 5 and host country would perform during the Jury show of each Semi Final, and a clip of that performance shown during the live Semi Finals and posted to the official YouTube channel.

For some time now, the Big 5 countries have noted that their songs get less exposure by not being seen in full during the Semis, something Ebba Adielsson, Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, noted:

“We think that this change gives the Big Five countries and the host country a fairer playing field in the Grand Final, as they now have the opportunity to perform “for real” on stage in the Semi-Finals. It is also a win for both the audience in the arena and the viewers at home, in that they get to see all the acts competing this year live before the Grand Final.”

In another major change, there has been an adjustment to when and how viewers can vote. The format used in 2010 and 2011 is returning, as fans can vote in the Grand Final from the start – viewers won’t have to wait until the last song has been performed to start voting.

Also, viewers watching from non-competing countries (‘rest of the world’) will be able to vote for the 24 hours leading up to each of the three live shows.

Executive Producer Ebba Adielsson had this to say about the voting modification:

“Voting in the final has previously opened when all 26 entries have finished singing. Instead, we want to provide the opportunity to engage the viewers from the start – if you see something you like, you should be able to vote immediately. You can also, of course, wait until the recap at the end, as in previous years. […] SVT [in Sweden] has positive experience with this voting procedure in ‘Melodifestivalen’ (Sweden’s national final). In addition, there are viewers in other parts of the world who want to vote and we want to give them a better opportunity to participate in the result. Now they don’t have to set an alarm clock in the middle of the night.”