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Bulgaria at Eurovision — the full history
Bulgaria debuted at Eurovision in 2005. Twenty years later, Dara delivered the country's first win. Here's the road that got us here.
Notable Bulgarian Eurovision entries
| Year | Artist | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Kaffe | Lorraine | Did not qualify (debut) |
| 2007 | Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov | Water | 5th — first Bulgarian top 10 |
| 2011 | Poli Genova | Na inat | Semi-final |
| 2016 | Poli Genova | If Love Was a Crime | 4th |
| 2017 | Kristian Kostov | Beautiful Mess | 2nd — Bulgaria's then best |
| 2018 | Equinox | Bones | 14th |
| 2021 | Victoria | Growing Up Is Getting Old | 11th |
| 2022 | Intelligent Music Project | Intention | Semi-final |
| 2026 | Dara | Bulgaria's winning entry | 1st — WINNER |
A selected list of notable entries. Full year-by-year results coming as we expand the archive.
Bulgaria at Eurovision — FAQ
The questions fans ask most about Bulgaria's Eurovision history, withdrawals and results.
- Has Bulgaria won Eurovision?
- Yes. Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 2026, with Dara taking the trophy. Before that, Bulgaria's best results were Kristian Kostov's 2nd place in 2017 and Poli Genova's 4th in 2016.
- When did Bulgaria win Eurovision?
- Bulgaria's first Eurovision Song Contest win came in 2026, courtesy of Dara. The victory means Bulgaria hosts Eurovision for the first time in 2027 — see the Sofia 2027 guide.
- When did Bulgaria join Eurovision?
- Bulgaria debuted at Eurovision in 2005, with Kaffe performing "Lorraine". The country did not qualify that year — it took until 2007 (Elitsa & Stoyan, 5th) for Bulgaria to crack the top 10.
- Why isn't Bulgaria in Eurovision some years?
- Bulgaria has skipped several editions (2014, 2015, 2019, 2020 onward in stretches, 2023–2025) primarily because national broadcaster BNT cited high participation fees and limited budget. Withdrawals were financial, not political — BNT consistently said it would return when funding allowed, and Dara's 2026 win confirms Bulgaria is back. See also: why Bulgaria withdrew.
- Why did Bulgaria withdraw from Eurovision?
- The recurring reason is cost. EBU participation fees, staging budgets, and national selection costs strained BNT's finances, especially after the 2018 Equinox campaign. BNT publicly cited budget shortfalls each time it pulled out — not a boycott or rule dispute. For the years affected, see which years Bulgaria skipped.
- Where did Bulgaria place in Eurovision 2017?
- Bulgaria finished 2nd in 2017. Kristian Kostov performed "Beautiful Mess" and scored 615 points in the final in Kyiv — at the time, Bulgaria's best-ever Eurovision result, only surpassed by Dara's 2026 win.
- Where did Bulgaria place in Eurovision 2018?
- Bulgaria finished 14th in 2018. The group Equinox performed "Bones" in Lisbon — a strong staging but a sharp drop from the previous year's 2nd place.
- Was Bulgaria in Eurovision 2019?
- No. BNT withdrew from Eurovision 2019 citing budget constraints, ending a run of strong results. Bulgaria returned in 2020 (cancelled due to COVID-19) and 2021 with Victoria.