Eurovision Song Contest League Tables 2018

Most Top Ten Places

I've compiled a league table of all the countries that have ever participated in the Eurovision Song Contest one or more times at some point from 1956 to 2018. The way it works is simple.

If a country wins a particular year (like Israel did this year), it gets 12 points for that year. Other top ten countries in a particular year receive the following number of points for that year: 2nd = 10 points, 3rd = 8 points, 4th = 7 points, 5th = 6 points, 6th = 5 points, 7th = 4 points, 8th = 3 points, 9th = 2 points, 10th = 1 point. Any country placed 11th or below receives nul points for that year! N.B. For my analysis, in 1956 Switzerland has been given 12 points for winning, but the other 6 unplaced countries were flagged as Unplaced, and thus awarded no league table points for that year.

Where multiple countries have tied for a particular total, I have taken their best ever places into consideration. For example, Malta and Turkey both have 62 points. Turkey has won once, but Malta has never won, hence Turkey is ranked higher than Malta. Estonia and Yugoslavia both have 58 points each. Both of them have won once each, but Estonia's next highest position is third, whereas Yugoslavia's next highest position is fourth, hence Estonia is ranked higher than Yugoslavia. The best achievement by Belarus and Czech Republic is one sixth place each, and thus they are tied on 5 points each. However, the next highest position achieved by Belarus is 16th (twice), whereas Czech Republic's second highest place is 25th; hence Belarus is ranked higher than Czech Republic.

Countries that have appeared in a grand final but have never had a top ten grand final placing (and hence have a league table total of 0) are ranked on their best final placing below 10th. Countries which debuted 2004 onwards and never reached the final (and hence have a league table total of 0) are ranked on their best ever semi-final placing (currently the only such country is Andorra).

N.B. From 1956 to 2003 inclusive there was only one show. There was one semi-final plus a grand final from 2004 to 2007 inclusive, and two semi-finals plus a grand final from 2008 onwards. For the purposes of this post, the term "final" or "grand final" includes the single shows from 1956 to 2003 inclusive and grand finals from 2004 to present.

The above is done for each year a country has participated, and all their scores added up. As you can see, despite the UK's poor performance since 1999, it still tops the league table with 313 points.

Rank	Country	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Total
1	United Kingdom	5	15	3	5	1	2	5	1	1	3	313
2	France	5	4	7	7	2	1	2	5	0	3	248
3	Sweden	6	1	6	2	9	1	4	4	2	5	240
4	Ireland	7	4	1	3	3	3	2	2	2	4	208
5	Germany	2	4	5	4	2	3	2	8	3	2	199
6	Italy	2	2	5	2	5	5	4	2	3	1	182
7	Switzerland	2	3	3	5	2	3	0	5	1	2	159
8	Denmark	3	1	3	2	5	2	1	3	4	2	147
9	Spain	2	4	1	2	1	4	2	1	4	7	138
10	Luxembourg	5	0	2	5	1	1	1	1	2	2	135
11	Israel	4	2	1	2	2	2	3	2	2	0	134
12	The Netherlands	4	1	1	2	2	2	3	1	6	2	131
13	Norway	3	1	1	3	3	1	2	4	3	2	126
14	Belgium	1	2	0	4	2	4	4	3	1	3	122
15	Austria	2	0	1	1	4	2	2	2	3	5	98
16	Monaco	1	1	3	3	2	1	1	2	1	1	97
17	Russia	1	4	3	0	1	0	1	0	1	1	89
18	Greece	1	0	3	0	2	1	3	4	3	1	84
19	Ukraine	2	2	1	1	0	1	1	0	0	1	69
20	Turkey	1	1	1	3	0	0	2	0	1	1	62
21	Malta	0	2	2	0	1	1	0	3	2	2	62
22	Estonia	1	0	1	1	1	3	1	2	0	0	58
23	Yugoslavia	1	0	0	3	0	1	3	2	1	0	58
24	Cyprus	0	1	0	0	3	2	1	0	3	0	48
25	Azerbaijan	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	46
26	Finland	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	1	2	3	43
27	Portugal	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	2	2	2	37
28	Iceland	0	2	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	34
29	Latvia	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	31
30	Romania	0	0	2	1	0	0	1	0	1	1	30
31	Armenia	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	1	29
32	Croatia	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	28
33	Serbia	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	26
34	Bulgaria	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	23
35	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	2	1	22
36	Hungary	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	19
37	Australia	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	18
38	Poland	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	17
39	Moldova	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	15
40	Serbia & Montenegro	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	14
41	Albania	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	10
42	Slovenia	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	9
43	Lithuania	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	7
44	Belarus	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	5
45	Czech Republic	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	5
46	Georgia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	4
47	F.Y.R. Macedonia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
48	Montenegro	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
49	Slovakia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
50	Morocco	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
51	San Marino	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
52	Andorra	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

The above is highly deceptive, because the UK first entered in 1957, followed by every year from 1959 to present (61 entries to-date); and in that time clocked up 313 points, thereby topping the leader board. Azerbaijan first entered in 2008 and has had an excellent track record since, achieving 46 points in 11 appearances, but still only appears 25th out of 52 on the above table. Clearly that puts countries which debuted since 2000 at a disadvantage as they inevitably have had far fewer entries to-date than countries that first entered in the 1950s and 1960s.

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Average By Grand Final Appearance

By dividing each country's total by the number of times it has appeared in the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, you get a much more accurate representation. Dividing the UK's total of 313 points by its number of grand final appearances (61) gives an average of 5.13 points per grand final appearance, putting it into 3rd place. Dividing Azerbaijan's total of 46 points by 10 (its number of grand final appearances to-date) gives it an average of 4.60 points; i.e. 7th place.

Where two or more countries tie for a particular average, the same tie-break rule used in the previous table is applied here. For example, Azerbaijan and Ukraine both have an average of exactly 4.6 points (shown below as 4.60) per grand final appearance, but since Ukraine has won twice, whereas Azerbaijan has won once, Ukraine is ranked higher than Azerbaijan. Countries whose totals are zero, and hence whose averages are zero, have been dealt with in the same manner and thus ranked in the same order as in the previous table.

N.B. In the table below, Ireland and Monaco both appear to have to have tied on 4.62 points, because all averages are shown correct to two decimal places. When shown to three decimal places, their averages are Ireland 4.622 and Monaco 4.619, which is why Ireland is ranked higher than Monaco.

Rank	Country	Total	Years in Final	Average
1	Serbia & Montenegro	14	2	7.00
2	Bulgaria	23	4	5.75
3	United Kingdom	313	61	5.13
4	Ireland	208	45	4.62
5	Monaco	97	21	4.62
6	Ukraine	69	15	4.60
7	Azerbaijan	46	10	4.60
8	Australia	18	4	4.50
9	Russia	89	20	4.45
10	Sweden	240	57	4.21
11	Italy	182	44	4.14
12	France	248	61	4.07
13	Estonia	58	15	3.87
14	Israel	134	35	3.83
15	Luxembourg	135	37	3.65
16	Denmark	147	43	3.42
17	Switzerland	159	48	3.31
18	Serbia	26	8	3.25
19	Germany	199	62	3.21
20	Latvia	31	10	3.10
21	Armenia	29	10	2.90
22	The Netherlands	131	50	2.62
23	Malta	62	24	2.58
24	Czech Republic	5	2	2.50
25	Belgium	122	51	2.39
26	Spain	138	58	2.38
27	Norway	126	54	2.33
28	Greece	84	37	2.27
29	Yugoslavia	58	27	2.15
30	Austria	98	47	2.09
31	Turkey	62	33	1.88
32	Romania	30	18	1.67
33	Cyprus	48	29	1.66
34	Croatia	28	18	1.56
35	Moldova	15	10	1.50
36	Iceland	34	24	1.42
37	Hungary	19	14	1.36
38	Albania	10	8	1.25
39	Bosnia & Herzegovina	22	18	1.22
40	Poland	17	14	1.21
41	Belarus	5	5	1.00
42	Finland	43	45	0.96
43	Portugal	37	42	0.88
44	Slovenia	9	14	0.64
45	Georgia	4	7	0.57
46	Lithuania	7	13	0.54
47	F.Y.R. Macedonia	0	8	0.00
48	Montenegro	0	2	0.00
49	Slovakia	0	3	0.00
50	Morocco	0	1	0.00
51	San Marino	0	1	0.00
52	Andorra	0	0	0.00

This is still deceptive, because it ignores years from 2004 onwards in which a country entered the Eurovision Song Contest but failed to reach the final. Bulgaria has actually had 12 entries from 2005 to 2018 but has only reached the final 4 times so far. Under the above scheme of things, its total of 23 points divided by 4 gives it an average of 5.75 points per grand final appearance (second place on the leader board). The Netherlands has had 50 appearances in the final, the last being 2018, but failed to get past the semi-finals from 2005 to 2012 inclusive, and again in 2015. Dividing its total of 131 points by 50 gives an average of 2.62 points per grand final appearance, putting it at 22nd place on the leader board.

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Average By Years Entered

To get an even more accurate representation, one should include the years from 2004 onwards in which a country entered the Eurovision Song Contest but failed to reach the final. Obviously, a country which fails to reach the final scores no league table points for that year, just like finalists that finish below 10th. Dividing the UK's total of 313 points by its number of entries (61) gives it an average of 5.13 points per year it entered, which is currently top of the table. Dividing Azerbaijan's total of 46 points by 11 (its total number of entries to-date) gives it an average of 4.18; i.e. 6th place.

N.B. Serbia & Montenegro entered in 2006 but withdrew at the last minute. Nonetheless they voted in the Grand Final but didn't participate in either the Semi-final or Grand Final that year. Thus, they have been regarded as having finished last with nul points in the official Semi-Final 2006 results, despite not performing in that semi-final. Consequently, their total number of years entered is 3; dividing their 14 points by 3 gives an average of 4.67 per year, putting them 2nd on the leader board.

Once again, the same tie-breaker rules apply where two or more countries tie for a particular average. Estonia and Armenia both have exactly the same average, but since Estonia has won once, whereas Armenia has never won, Estonia is ranked higher than Armenia. Countries whose totals are zero, and hence whose averages are zero, have been dealt with in the same manner and thus ranked in the same order as in the previous two tables.

N.B. In the table below, Italy and Sweden both appear to have to have tied on 4.14 points, because all averages are shown correct to two decimal places. When shown to three decimal places, their averages are
Sweden 4.138 and Italy 4.136, which is why Sweden is ranked higher than Italy. Likewise, Greece and Yugoslavia both appear tied on 2.15 points, but when shown to three decimal places, their averages are Greece 2.154 and Yugoslavia 2.148, which is why Greece is ranked higher than Yugoslavia. Austria and Bulgaria appear tied on 1.92 points, but when shown to three decimal places, their averages are Austria 1.922 and Bulgaria 1.917, which is why Austria is ranked higher than Bulgaria.

Rank	Country	Total	Years Entered	Average
1	United Kingdom	313	61	5.13
2	Serbia & Montenegro	14	3	4.67
3	Ukraine	69	15	4.60
4	Australia	18	4	4.50
5	Russia	89	21	4.24
6	Azerbaijan	46	11	4.18
7	Sweden	240	58	4.14
8	Italy	182	44	4.14
9	France	248	61	4.07
10	Monaco	97	24	4.04
11	Ireland	208	52	4.00
12	Luxembourg	135	37	3.65
13	Israel	134	41	3.27
14	Germany	199	62	3.21
15	Denmark	147	47	3.13
16	Switzerland	159	59	2.69
17	Estonia	58	24	2.42
18	Armenia	29	12	2.42
19	Spain	138	58	2.38
20	Serbia	26	11	2.36
21	The Netherlands	131	59	2.22
22	Norway	126	57	2.21
23	Greece	84	39	2.15
24	Yugoslavia	58	27	2.15
25	Belgium	122	60	2.03
26	Malta	62	31	2.00
27	Austria	98	51	1.92
28	Bulgaria	23	12	1.92
29	Turkey	62	34	1.82
30	Latvia	31	19	1.63
31	Romania	30	19	1.58
32	Cyprus	48	35	1.37
33	Hungary	19	16	1.19
34	Croatia	28	24	1.17
35	Bosnia & Herzegovina	22	19	1.16
36	Iceland	34	31	1.10
37	Moldova	15	14	1.07
38	Finland	43	52	0.83
39	Poland	17	21	0.81
40	Portugal	37	50	0.74
41	Czech Republic	5	7	0.71
42	Albania	10	15	0.67
43	Slovenia	9	24	0.38
44	Lithuania	7	19	0.37
45	Georgia	4	11	0.36
46	Belarus	5	15	0.33
47	F.Y.R. Macedonia	0	18	0.00
48	Montenegro	0	10	0.00
49	Slovakia	0	7	0.00
50	Morocco	0	1	0.00
51	San Marino	0	9	0.00
52	Andorra	0	6	0.00

Now all Bulgaria's 12 entries from 2005 to 2018 inclusive are being taken into consideration, dividing its total of 23 points by 12 gives it an average of just 1.92 points per year it entered, pushing it way down the leader board to 28th out of 52. From 2005 to 2012 inclusive, and again in 2015, The Netherlands entered but failed to qualify, giving it a total of 59 entries to-date. Dividing its total of 131 points by 59 gives it an average of 2.22 points per year it entered, thereby putting it in 21st place.

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