LOCATION: Kyiv, Ukraine

DATES:
Semi-Final 1: May 9
Semi-Final 2: May 11
Grand Final: May 13

PARTICIPANTS: 43 (best result in parenthesis)
Ireland (Won in 1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994 & 1996)
Sweden (Won in 1974, 1984, 1991, 1999, 2012 & 2015)
United Kingdom (Won in 1967, 1969, 1976, 1981 & 1997)
France (Won in 1958, 1960, 1962, 1969 & 1977)
Netherlands (Won in 1957, 1959, 1969 & 1975)
Denmark (Won in 1963, 2000 & 2013)
Norway (Won in 1985, 1995 & 2009)
Israel (Won in 1978, 1979 & 1998)
Ukrain (Won in 2004 & 2016) [HOST]
Austria (Won in 1966 & 2014)
Germany (Won in 1982 & 2010)
Italy (Won in 1964 & 1990)
Switzerland (Won in 1956 & 1988)
Spain (Won in 1968 & 1969)
Azerbaijan (Won in 2011)
Russia (Won in 2008)
Serbia (Won in 2007)
Finland (Won in 2006)
Greece (Won in 2005)
Latvia (Won in 2002)
Estonia (Won in 2001)
Belgium (Won in 1986)
Iceland (2nd in 1999 & 2009)
Malta (2nd in 2002 & 2005)
Australia (2nd in 2016)
Poland (2nd in 1994)
Romania (3rd in 2005 & 2010)
Armenia (4th in 2008 & 2014)
Croatia (4th in 1996 & 1999)
Bulgaria (4th in 2016)
Hungary (4th in 1994)
Cyprus (5th in 1982, 1997 & 2004)
Albania (5th in 2012)
Belarus (6th in 2007)
Lithuania (6th in 2006)
Moldova (6th in 2005)
Portugal (6th in 1996)
Slovenia (7th in 1995 & 2001)
Georgia (9th in 2010 & 2011)
Macedonia FYR (12th in 2006)
Montenegro (13th in 2015)
San Marino (24th in 2014)
Czech Republic (25th in 2016)

Other eligible countries that are not participating (latest entry in parenthesis)
Bosnia-Herzegovina (2016)
Slovakia (2012)
Turkey (2012)
Andorra (2009)
Monaco (2006)
Luxembourg (1993)
Morocco (1980)
Algeria
Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Libya
Tunisia
Vatican City

So who do you think will win? What are your thoughts on the contest? Join here for 2017 ESC news and updates.

5861976 Why are some eligible countries not participating? They still have to pay their share for the event, right?

5872626
No, they only pay to be a member of European Broadcasting Union, but you do not have to pay for Eurovision if not participating.

Countries and their reasons:
Bosnia-Herzegovina (2016): Lack of funds to send an act
Slovakia (2012): Lack of interest due to poor results
Turkey (2012): Don't like the current voting system or just stopped caring
Andorra (2009): Lack of interest due to poor results
Monaco (2006): Can not keep up with the times and lack of interest due to poor results
Luxembourg (1993): Lack of interest in general
Morocco (1980): Lack of interest due to poor results and Israel
Algeria: Israel
Egypt: Israel and internal problems
Jordan: Just plain not interested
Lebanon: Israel
Libya: Israel and government instability
Tunisia: Israel
Vatican City: Not religious enough for them.

5872757 How is Israel preventing them from participating?

5872767
Because they don't like Israel and want nothing to do with Israel.

5872773 Do they know they're helping Israel by removing themselves as a potential competition?

5872788
They don't seem to care, they know that by participating they are required by ESC rules to show the ENTIRE contest, even the Israeli entry, and that goes against many of their laws banning the showing of Israeli content, so they don't participate at all.

5872794 I didn't know any of that. Thanks for the info.