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The Organisation Générale des Amateurs de l'Eurovision (pronounced [ɔʁɡanizɑsjɔ̃ ʒeneʁal dez‿amatœʁ də løʁovizjɔ̃]; French for 'General Organisation of Eurovision Fans'), shortened to OGAE, is a non-governmental and non-profit international organisation, consisting of 42 Eurovision Song Contest fan clubs from across Europe and worldwide. It was founded in 1984 in Savonlinna, Finland by Jaripekka Koikkalainen.
Key Information
Four non-profit competitions are organised by the OGAE every year to promote national popular music to Eurovision fans around the world. The organisation also works frequently in co-operation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and national broadcasters from the participating countries in order to help promote the Eurovision Song Contest.
The current president of the OGAE International Network is Simon Bennett from OGAE United Kingdom, who succeeded Maiken Mäemets of OGAE Finland in 2015.
History
[edit]The Eurovision Song Contest began in 1956, and in 1984 the OGAE International Network was founded by Jaripekka Koikkalainen in Savonlinna, Finland.[1] The organisation, which is an independent Eurovision fan club, operates as a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit body, and works frequently in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The network is open to countries that take part in the Eurovision Song Contest or have participated in the past. Several other countries around Europe and beyond that do not have their own independent OGAE Network, including Monaco, San Marino, Kazakhstan, South Africa, and the United States of America, participate in the organization under the "Rest of the World" title.[2]
Every year, the organisation arranges two competitions, the OGAE Second Chance Contest, and the OGAE Song Contest.[3] The cooperative exercise of the OGAE Network is to raise awareness of popular national music across the world, in collaboration with the fans of the Eurovision Song Contest, as well as establishing a strong relationship between national broadcasting companies and the marketing of the Eurovision Song Contest itself to a wider fan-base.[4]
In 2007, Antonis Karatzikos was elected as new International Coordinator for the OGAE, until 2009. In July 2009 he was re-elected for the same post.[5] In 2011, OGAE International Network became a registered organisation in France, and Maiken Mäemets was elected president.[4] She was re-elected for a second term on 17 May 2013 at the Euro Fan Café (Moriska Paviljongen) in Malmö, Sweden.[6] During the annual OGAE Presidents’ Meeting, which took place on 22 May 2015 at the Euro Fan Café in Vienna, the presidents of the OGAE Clubs elected a new board for the OGAE International Network (shown below), who would maintain their roles until the next election in 2017.[7][needs update]
| Position | Name | OGAE club |
|---|---|---|
| President | Simon Bennett |  United Kingdom
|
| Secretary | Anthony Cigé |  Iceland
|
| Treasurer | Morten Thomassen |  Norway
|
| Board members | Alasdair Rendall | United Kingdom
|
| Marcus Davey |  Australia (ROW)
| |
| Deputy members | Sebastian Zasada |  Poland
|
| Stéphane Chiffre |  France
|
OGAE branches
[edit]OGAE currently has forty-four members, including two in Germany.[1][8] These are:
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany- Germany Eurovision Club
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
North Macedonia
Poland
Portugal
Rest of the World
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
.svg){kind=small}
OGAE Rest of the World
[edit]Countries that do not have an OGAE Network in their own right, but are active or associate members of the EBU are unified under the name "Rest of the World". The countries which constitute this OGAE Network are:[2][9]
Afghanistan
Algeria
Argentina
Bosnia and Herzegovina2
Botswana
Brazil
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Eswatini
Egypt
Georgia2
Hong Kong
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Mexico
Moldova2
Monaco2
Montenegro2
Morocco2
Namibia
New Zealand
Peru
San Marino2
Seychelles
Slovakia2
South Africa
South Korea
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
United States of America
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
OGAE contests
[edit]OGAE Poll
[edit]The Marcel Bezençon Fan Award was handed out in 2002 and 2003, and voted on by members of the OGAE. It was discontinued and replaced by the Composer Award in 2004.
| Year | Winner | Song | Performer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 |  Finland
|
"Addicted to You" | Laura Voutilainen |
| 2003 |  Spain
|
"Dime" | Beth |
Every year since 2007, the OGAE has conducted a pre-Eurovision Song Contest poll in which every national club plus OGAE Rest of the World casts a vote from all entries participating in a particular contest, using the same scoring system as the one at Eurovision: the most voted songs on each club receive 1 to 8, and then 10 and 12 points, and countries cannot vote for themselves. The winners of this poll are:
| Background colours | |
| Winner | |
| Second place | |
| Third place | |
| Failed to qualify | |
| Contest cancelled | |
OGAE Second Chance Contest
[edit]The OGAE Second Chance Contest is a visual event organised by branches of OGAE. It began in 1987, when it was then known as "Europe's Favourite".[citation needed] Four OGAE branches competed in the first contest, coming from the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.[12] The contest quickly expanded and now usually contains around 20 countries competing each year. Due to the countries' varying Eurovision selection methods over the years, it is a common occurrence for countries to sporadically compete in the contest.[13] The competition was previously a non-televised event, but evolved over the years by the usage of videotape and later DVD, YouTube and streaming services.[12]
The contest takes place in the summer after the year's Eurovision Song Contest. A video entry from each branch of OGAE is handed to each competing OGAE club. The votes are then returned to the organising OGAE branch, normally the previous year's winning branch, who then organises the final. The method of voting has developed since the contests interception, from audio-tape in the contest's beginnings to the use of video tape and nowadays by DVD and YouTube.[12]
Previously it had been known for non-televised national final entries to compete in the Second Chance Contest. This occurred from 1989 to 1991 when Spain entered songs known to have been entered into the country's internal selection process. In 1990, 1991, 1998 and 1999 Italy competed in the Second Chance Contest, entering the winning songs of the Italian Sanremo Music Festival, known to be the basis for the creation of the Eurovision Song Contest. After 1999, a new rule was introduced allowing only songs from televised national finals to compete in the Second Chance Contest. This has led to some branches becoming ineligible to compete for many years due to no national final being held in the country.[14] Since 1993, guest juries have been used in the voting of the contest. These juries are composed of branches that are ineligible to compete in the contest due to no national final being held in their country.[14] In 2024, Annalisa joined Alcazar as the only artists to win the contest twice.
Retrospective Second Chance Contest
[edit]From 2003 it was decided to hold Retrospective Contests each year containing songs from contests prior to 1987. In 2003 the first contest was held, containing songs that failed to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 1986. This format is repeated every year, for example in 2004 the 1985 Retrospective contest was held, in 2005 the 1984 contest was held, etc.
| Year | Host city | Participants | Winner | Performer | Song | Points | Runner-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | N/A | 9 |  Italy
|
Caterina Caselli | "Nessuno mi può giudicare" | 214 |  Portugal
|
 Sweden
|
| 1967 | 7 |  Luxembourg
|
Vicky Leandros | "Le soleil a quitté ma maison" | 193 | United Kingdom
|
Finland
| |
| 1968 | 8 | United Kingdom
|
Cliff Richard | "Wonderful World" | 263 |  Ireland
|
Sweden
| |
| 1969 | 10 |  Spain
|
Salomé | "Amigos, amigos" | 231 | United Kingdom
|
Sweden
| |
| 1970 | 7 | Ireland
|
Maxi, Dick and Twink | "Things You Hear About Me" | 245 | United Kingdom
|
Spain
| |
| 1971 | 11 | Italy
|
Ricchi e Poveri | "Che sarà" | 296 | United Kingdom
|
 Germany
| |
| 1972 | 11 | Italy
|
Marcella Bella | "Montagne verdi" | 308 | Germany
|
Finland
| |
| 1973 | Brighton
|
12 | Sweden
|
Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid | "Ring Ring (Bara du slog en signal)" | 282 | Spain
|
United Kingdom
|
| 1974 | 11 | United Kingdom
|
Olivia Newton-John | "Have Love, Will Travel" | 277 | France
|
Luxembourg
| |
| 1975 | 11 | Germany
|
Marianne Rosenberg | "Er gehört zu mir" | 264 | Sweden
|
Portugal
| |
| 1976 | 14 | Luxembourg
|
Marianne Rosenberg | "Tout peut arriver au cinéma" | 212 | United Kingdom
|
France
| |
| 1977 | 10 | France
|
Patricia Lavila | "Vis ta vie" | 275 | United Kingdom
|
 Belgium
| |
| 1978 | 14 | United Kingdom
|
Ronnie France | "Lonely Nights" | 226 |  Israel
|
 Denmark
| |
| 1979 | 13 | Germany
|
Paola | "Vogel der Nacht" | 188 |  Greece
|
Israel
| |
| 1980 | 12 | United Kingdom
|
Maggie Moone | "Happy Everything" | 289 | Germany
|
France
| |
| 1981 | 16 | United Kingdom
|
Liquid Gold | "Don't Panic" | 248 | Sweden
|
 Netherlands
| |
| 1982 | 15 | Netherlands
|
The Millionaires | "Fantasie eiland" | 204 | United Kingdom
|
Germany
| |
| 1983 | 15 | Germany
|
Ingrid Peters and July Paul | "Viva La Mamma" | 204 | Denmark
|
Israel
| |
| 1984 | 15 | Belgium
|
Formule II | "Merci à la vie" | 160 | Sweden
|
Denmark
| |
| 1985 | 12 | Denmark
|
Trax | "Ved du hva' du sku'" | 170 | United Kingdom
|
Israel
| |
| 1986 | London
|
13 | Netherlands
|
DeeDee | "Fata Morgana" | 123 | Iceland
|
Denmark
|
Guest Jury Hits
[edit]The Guest Jury Hits contest was introduced in 2003, giving guest juries of the Retro contests the opportunity to compete in their own contest. The contest was formed as a way for OGAE branches to become juries in the Second Chance Retro Contest, with each non-competing branch selecting a hit song from their country in that year. The first contest was held in 2003, when hit songs from 1985 competed in the contest. So far eighteen contests have been held, with Italy winning eight contests, the United States winning twice, and Australia, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and Jamaica each winning once. Umberto Tozzi has so far been responsible for three of Italy's wins.[15]
OGAE Song Contest
[edit]The OGAE Song Contest is an audio event in which all OGAE national clubs can enter with an original song released in the previous 12 months in their countries. The competing songs must be sung in one of the country's official languages.[17][18] This rule was planned to be removed in 2022,[19] before the event was cancelled that year due to the controversy surrounding OGAE Russia's continued participation and the decision by OGAE not to remove the Russian OGAE club from the contest for its support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[20]
Participation
[edit]So far 59 countries have been represented at the contest at least once. These are listed here alongside the year in which they made their debut:
| Year | Country making its debut entry |
|---|---|
| 1986 | Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
|
| 1987 |  Botswana (as Rest of the World), Israel, Portugal, Spain,  Zimbabwe (as Rest of the World)
|
| 1988 | Belgium, Greece, United Kingdom
|
| 1989 | Denmark, France
|
| 1990 |  Austria,  Cyprus, Ireland, Italy
|
| 1991 |  Bulgaria,  Monaco
|
| 1992 | Luxembourg
|
| 1993 |  Japan (as Rest of the World),  Slovakia,  Switzerland
|
| 1994 |  South Africa (as Rest of the World),  Turkey
|
| 1996 | Australia
|
| 1997 |  New Zealand (as Rest of the World)
|
| 1998 | Poland
|
| 1999 |  Croatia,  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,  Kazakhstan (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2000 | Iceland,  Malta,  Slovenia
|
| 2001 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina,  Russia
|
| 2002 |  North Macedonia[b]
|
| 2003 |  Lithuania, Serbia and Montenegro
|
| 2005 |  Estonia,  Lebanon
|
| 2006 |  Albania,  Andorra,  Armenia,  Serbia,  Ukraine
|
| 2008 |  Azerbaijan,  Canada (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2009 |  Guyana (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2011 |  United States (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2012 |  Mexico (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2013 |  Colombia (as Rest of the World),  Belarus
|
| 2014 |  Montenegro
|
| 2015 |  Latvia
|
| 2016 |  Czech Republic,  Hungary
|
OGAE Rest of the World represents countries that do not have an OGAE branch of their own. Their first participations came at the 1987 contest, where they represented Botswana & Zimbabwe.
Winners
[edit]Fourteen countries have won the contest since it began in 1986. The most successful country in the contest is the United Kingdom, which has won the contest eight times.
OGAE Video Contest
[edit]The OGAE Video Contest is a video event which, much like the OGAE Song Contest, is organised between branches of the OGAE. All OGAE national clubs can enter with an original song and video released in the previous 12 months in their countries. There is no obligation on the entry for the OGAE Video Contest to be sung in one of the country's official languages.
Participation
[edit]So far 51 countries have been represented at the contest at least once. These are listed here alongside the year in which they made their debut:
| Year | Country making its debut entry |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, North Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom
|
| 2004 | Bulgaria, Croatia, Luxembourg, Serbia and Montenegro
|
| 2005 | Ireland, Kazakhstan (as Rest of the World), Poland, Ukraine
|
| 2006 |  Moldova, Serbia, South Africa (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2007 | Andorra, Austria, Estonia, Latvia,  Namibia (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2010 | Australia (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2012 | Belgium, United States (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2013 | Belarus,  South Korea (as Rest of the World)
|
| 2014 | Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Slovakia
|
| 2016 | Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary,  Romania, Sweden, Switzerland,  Uzbekistan (as Rest of the World)
|
OGAE Rest of the World represents countries that do not have an OGAE branch of their own. Their first participation came at the 2005 contest, where they represented Kazakhstan.
Winners
[edit]Nine countries have won the contest since it began in 2003. The most successful countries in the contest has been France, who has won the contest four times.
| Year | Country | Video | Performer | Points | Host city | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | France
|
"Fan" | Pascal Obispo | 122 | Istanbul
| |
| 2004 | Portugal
|
"Cavaleiro Monge" | Mariza | 133 | Fontainebleau
| |
| 2005 | Ukraine
|
"I Will Forget You" | Svetlana Loboda | 171 | Lisbon
| |
| 2006 | Italy
|
"Contromano" | Nek | 106 | İzmir
| |
| 2007 | Russia
|
"LML" | Via Gra | 198 | Florence
| |
| 2008 | Russia
|
"Potselui" | Via Gra | 140 | Moscow
| |
| 2009 | Russia
|
"Karma" | Yin-Yang | 142 | Saint Petersburg
| |
| 2010 | Poland
|
"Kim tu jestem" | Justyna Steczkowska | 85 | Volgograd
| |
| 2011 | France
|
"Lonely Lisa" | Mylène Farmer | 96 | Wrocław
| |
| 2012 | Italy
|
"È l'amore che conta" | Giorgia | 135 | Paris
| |
| 2013 | Belgium
|
"Papaoutai" | Stromae | 144 | Turin
| |
| 2014 | France
|
"Tourner dans le vide" | Indila | 141 | Brussels
| |
| 2015 | Germany
|
"Gäa" | Oonagh | 122 | Paris
| |
| 2016 | United Kingdom
|
"Hymn for the Weekend" | Coldplay | 673 | Lüneburg
| |
| 2017 | Belgium
|
"Mud Blood" | Loïc Nottet | 184 | London
| |
| 2018 | Czech Republic
|
"Me Gusta" | Mikolas Josef | 132 | Antwerp
| |
| 2019 | Ukraine
|
"Siren Song" | Maruv | 174 | Prague
| |
| 2020 | Sweden
|
"Fingers Crossed" | Agnes | 157 | Kyiv
| |
| 2021 | France
|
"Nous" | Julien Doré | 165 | Stockholm
| |
| 2022 | Event not held | |||||
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Guðmundsdóttir, Laufey Helga. "OGAE International Welcome Page". OGAE International. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ a b "Welcome to OGAE Rest of the World". OGAE RoW. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ "OGAE Contests". Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- ^ a b Guðmundsdóttir, Laufey Helga (August 2016). "OGAE International About Us". OGAE International. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ Viniker, Barry (2 July 2007). "OGAE elects new International Co-ordinator". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 5 July 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2007.
- ^ Jiandani, Sanjay (22 May 2013). "OGAE International Board members elected". ESCToday. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Guðmundsdóttir, Laufey Helga (1 April 2017). "Bureau Elections 2017". Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ Guðmundsdóttir, Laufey Helga (3 August 2016). "OGAE National Clubs". OGAE International. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ Speirs, Gary. "OGAE Second Chance Contest 2012: Rest of the World". SECHUK.COM. sechuk.com. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ^ "Belarus: Candidate Member". List of OGAE Clubs. OGAE. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ^ "OGAE Rest of the World Members". OGAE Rest of the World. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
At this moment, the countries without clubs and therefore part of Ogae rest of the world are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco and San Marino.
- ^ a b c Speirs, Gary. "Contest Background". OGAE Second Chance Contest. sechuk.com. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ "About us". OGAE Second Chance Contest. OGAE. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ a b Speirs, Gary. "Statistics and other Useless Information". OGAE Second Chance Contest. sechuk.com. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ Speirs, Gary. "Guest Jury Hits". OGAE Guest Jury Contest. sechuk.com. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ Speirs, Gary. "OGAE Second Chance Contest". All the winners. sechuk.com. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ "OGAE Song Contest Results: 1986 - 2011". OGAE. Sechuk.com. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "OGAE Song Contest Results: 2012". OGAE. OGAE Croatia. 1 December 2012. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "OGAE France wins OGAE Video Contest 2021 with Julien Doré". 29 December 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (2022-09-27). "OGAE Song Contest 2022 Cancelled". Eurovoix. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
External links
[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
from Grokipedia
OGAE, standing for Organisation Générale des Amateurs de l'Eurovision, is a non-profit international fan network dedicated to the Eurovision Song Contest, serving as the world's largest such organization with 44 national clubs and approximately 17,000 members spanning over 50 countries.[1][2] Founded on July 28, 1984, in Savonlinna, Finland, by Jaripekka Koikkalainen to unite Eurovision enthusiasts initially within Finland, OGAE expanded globally by establishing clubs in Eurovision-participating nations and later through OGAE Rest of the World for non-participating countries.[1] OGAE International, formed in 2011 and based in Paris, France, acts as the coordinating umbrella body, governed by elected representatives from national club presidents and focused on fostering fan connections, updates on the contest, and collaborative promotions with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).[1][2] The network's defining activities include the annual OGAE Poll, launched in 2007 as a pre-Eurovision fan voting survey that frequently anticipates contest results, and the OGAE Song Contest, an audio-based event since 1986 promoting original national songs among member clubs to enhance musical exposure.[1] Members gain practical benefits such as prioritized ticket packages for Eurovision semi-finals and finals, discounts on merchandise, and participation in Europe-wide themed events, underscoring OGAE's role in amplifying fan engagement without direct governance over the official contest.[1][2]
History
Founding and Early Development
The Organisation Générale des Amateurs de l'Eurovision (OGAE) was founded in 1984 in Savonlinna, Finland, by Jaripekka Koikkalainen.[1] The organization emerged as a grassroots effort to connect Finnish fans of the Eurovision Song Contest, enabling them to meet, discuss entries, and share updates on the annual event amid limited official fan infrastructure at the time.[2] Initially operating as a single national club, OGAE quickly attracted interest from Eurovision enthusiasts in other participating countries, leading to the formation of affiliated fan clubs across Europe in the mid-to-late 1980s.[3] This organic expansion fostered informal cross-border exchanges, including newsletters and gatherings focused on contest analysis and promotion, which strengthened the community's role in amplifying fan perspectives independent of broadcasters.[2] By the early 1990s, the network had grown to encompass multiple national clubs, coordinating shared activities such as pre-contest predictions and post-event reviews, though without a centralized international body until later formalization.[2] This period marked OGAE's transition from a local Finnish initiative to a burgeoning pan-European fan alliance, with membership driven by grassroots enthusiasm rather than institutional directives.[1]Expansion and Institutionalization
Following the establishment of the inaugural OGAE club in Savonlinna, Finland, in 1984 by Jaripekka Koikkalainen, the organization expanded through the creation of national fan clubs in other Eurovision-participating countries, initially concentrating in Europe. This growth facilitated collaborative activities, such as the launch of the OGAE Song Contest in 1986 and the OGAE Second Chance Contest in 1987, which drew entries from multiple emerging clubs including those in Sweden and Norway.[4][1] By the early 2000s, the network had proliferated to encompass dozens of national clubs, reflecting the rising popularity of the Eurovision Song Contest and the appeal of fan-driven initiatives among enthusiasts.[2] A significant milestone in geographic expansion came in 2006, when OGAE Rest of the World was approved during a meeting in Athens, providing a dedicated club for fans in non-European Broadcasting Union (EBU) member countries without existing national branches, such as the United States, Brazil, and South Africa.[5] This development extended OGAE's reach beyond traditional Eurovision territories, accommodating a broader global fandom and contributing to a total of 44 national clubs plus the Rest of the World affiliate, with approximately 17,000 members worldwide as recognized in 2017.[1] Institutionalization advanced with the founding of OGAE International in 2011, incorporated as a legal entity in France to serve as the coordinating umbrella for all national clubs.[2] This body formalized governance through adopted statutes, establishing a Presidents' Board comprising representatives from each national club and an elected Bureau for day-to-day management, thereby transitioning OGAE from an informal network to a structured non-profit association focused on promoting Eurovision-related events and international cooperation among members.[6]Organizational Structure
National Fan Clubs
OGAE national fan clubs constitute the core active membership of the organization, comprising local branches dedicated to Eurovision Song Contest enthusiasts in countries that have participated in the contest.[7][6] As of 2025, there are 44 such clubs, with most countries limited to one club, though Germany maintains two pre-existing clubs.[7] These clubs operate independently but align with OGAE International's statutes, emphasizing promotion of the Eurovision Song Contest, international friendship, and adherence to values such as human dignity and equality.[6] Membership in national clubs is open to individuals interested in Eurovision, with fans permitted to join multiple clubs while designating one as primary for purposes such as OGAE International affiliation and access to contest ticket allocations.[7] Clubs handle local recruitment, typically based on nationality or residence, and collect annual fees capped at 12 EUR per member to support OGAE International operations.[6] Each club is represented by its president or an authorized delegate in the Presidents’ Board, which holds ultimate authority over OGAE International decisions, including elections for the managing Bureau committee.[2] New national clubs form through application to OGAE International's Bureau, entering a one-year associate membership period for evaluation before full admission by simple majority vote in the Presidents’ Board during an Ordinary General Meeting.[6] Approved clubs gain rights to use the OGAE name (subject to national laws), participate in contests like the OGAE Poll and Song Contest, and vote on organizational matters.[6] Nationally, clubs organize events, screenings, and fan meetups to foster community and support local Eurovision entries, contributing to the network's total of approximately 10,000 members across more than 50 countries.[2]| Country Examples | Club Name |
|---|---|
| Albania | OGAE Albania[7] |
| Finland | OGAE Finland[7] |
| United Kingdom | OGAE United Kingdom[7] |
| Germany | OGAE Germany (two clubs)[7] |
International Coordination and OGAE Rest of the World
OGAE International, formalized in 2011 as a French-incorporated entity, operates as the central coordinating body for the network of national OGAE clubs, overseeing collaborative activities such as polls, contests, and promotional efforts with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).[2] This structure ensures unified participation from over 40 national clubs plus the OGAE Rest of the World club, representing around 10,000 members in more than 50 countries, with ultimate governance vested in the presidents of these national clubs via elected statutes.[2] The OGAE International Bureau, a seven-member committee elected or appointed biennially by national club presidents, manages operational administration, inter-club coordination, and processes for approving new clubs, thereby maintaining network cohesion and facilitating global fan engagement.[8] As of 2024, the bureau includes President Simon Bennett (OGAE UK, elected 2015), Secretary Anthony Cige (OGAE Iceland, elected 2019), Treasurer Morten Thomassen (OGAE Norway, appointed 2017), and members Marcus Davey (OGAE Rest of the World, elected 2015), Alasdair Rendall (OGAE UK, elected 2022), Sebastian Zasada (OGAE Poland, elected 2024), and Stephan Chiffre (OGAE France, elected 2024).[8] OGAE Rest of the World functions as a unified club within the OGAE network, dedicated to Eurovision fans in regions lacking independent national chapters, including North, South, and Central America, Asia, Africa, and other non-EBU or uncovered territories.[9] Established to foster community among these dispersed members, it enables their involvement in international OGAE initiatives like voting in the annual poll and submitting entries to contests such as the OGAE Song Contest, with representation on the International Bureau through figures like Marcus Davey.[8][9] The club emphasizes online activities and point-based systems for member engagement, bridging gaps for fans outside traditional European strongholds.[9]Core Activities and Contests
OGAE Poll
The OGAE Poll is an annual pre-contest survey organized by OGAE International, in which members of affiliated national fan clubs submit votes for their preferred songs among the competing entries in the Eurovision Song Contest.[10] Conducted before rehearsals and public performances begin, it serves as an early indicator of fan sentiment within the Eurovision community, often influencing discussions and betting markets.[11] Votes are aggregated from participating clubs, with results revealed progressively over several weeks leading up to the contest, typically starting in late April and concluding in early May.[12] Each national OGAE club awards points to its top 10 favorite entries using the standard Eurovision positional system: 12 points to the first choice, 10 to the second, 8 to the third, and 7 down to 1 for the remaining positions.[10] Only full members of OGAE clubs are eligible to vote, ensuring participation reflects dedicated fandom rather than casual public opinion. The poll's structure mirrors Eurovision voting but relies exclusively on fan input, which can amplify bloc-like preferences among enthusiasts, such as enthusiasm for Nordic or Eastern European entries in certain years.[13] Originating in the mid-2000s, the poll gained prominence around 2007, when Serbia's "Molitva" topped both the OGAE votes and the actual contest, marking an early alignment between fan predictions and outcomes.[11] Since then, it has been held annually, with results often highlighting frontrunners like Israel's Netta in 2018, who received the inaugural OGAE Poll trophy sponsored by OGAE Rest of the World.[14] In recent editions, such as 2025, Sweden's entry amassed 421 points to claim victory, followed by Austria (382) and the Netherlands (278), underscoring persistent fan appeal for upbeat pop entries.[15] While the poll frequently identifies top contenders, its predictive accuracy for the final Eurovision results remains moderate, with the winning entry placing first in the OGAE poll in only select years and roughly 20% of the contest's top five aligning with the poll's top five over a 14-year span analyzed from 2007 onward.[16] It better correlates with top-10 placements as a broad fan enthusiasm gauge but is susceptible to biases inherent in fan voting, such as overrepresentation of popular genres or regional favorites, diverging from jury or televote outcomes.[17] Nonetheless, its release often shifts pre-contest narratives, providing a counterpoint to bookmaker odds.[11]OGAE Second Chance Contest
The OGAE Second Chance Contest (SCC) is an annual competition coordinated by OGAE International, featuring songs from national Eurovision Song Contest selections that failed to advance to the international final or were internally selected without public competition.[18] Each participating OGAE national club nominates one such entry from its country's public selection process, aiming to highlight overlooked tracks and promote performers, composers, and lyricists from these events.[19] The contest operates independently of the official Eurovision, with voting conducted among OGAE members to determine a winner based on aggregated points.[19] Initiated in 1987, the SCC provides a platform for fan-driven recognition of non-qualifying entries, often from Melodifestivalen in Sweden or similar formats elsewhere.[18] Sweden has dominated the event, securing its 19th victory in 2025 with Klara Hammarström's "On and On and On," which received 348 points ahead of Italy's Giorgia with "La cura per me" (second place) and Finland's Goldielocks with "Made Of" (third).[20] The 2025 edition involved 25 clubs, including debutant Luxembourg, with results announced on October 4, 2025, following a voting period hosted by the previous year's winner, Italy.[21][22] Participation requires songs to have been publicly performed or broadcast in national finals, excluding internally selected entries unless from open competitions; clubs must submit entries by specified deadlines, typically mid-year, with voting open for at least 30 days.[19] Voters from each club award points from 1 to 8, 10, and 12 to non-national favorites, mirroring Eurovision scoring, while the host club may organize a live or virtual presentation.[19] The winning club hosts the subsequent edition, fostering continuity among OGAE's network of over 40 fan clubs.[19] This structure emphasizes grassroots engagement, though turnout varies by club size and enthusiasm for the nominated tracks.[23]OGAE Song Contest
The OGAE Song Contest is an annual audio-based competition organized by OGAE International to promote original national music and artists from member clubs, providing wider exposure across the network.[24] Unlike contests tied to Eurovision Song Contest selections, it features songs unrelated to Eurovision processes.[24] Each participating OGAE national club nominates one entry, with voting conducted among clubs to determine the winner.[25] Eligibility requires songs to be original compositions released on album, single, or video since January 1 of the previous year, with a maximum duration of five minutes excluding credits.[25] Entries must feature performers holding the nationality of the nominating club—at least one member for groups—and cannot include covers, remixes, samples, or tracks previously entered in Eurovision, Junior Eurovision, OGAE Second Chance, or national pre-selections.[25] Submissions consist of studio versions, with optional artist-released videos, and clubs must ensure compliance with copyright laws for promotional use.[25] Voting occurs from September 1 to November 15, with results announced by November 30.[25] The process mirrors Eurovision-style club voting, emphasizing promotion over commercial hits.[25] The contest has run annually since its inception in 1986, with occasional cancellations such as in 2022.[4] Countries with the most victories include the United Kingdom and France, each with four wins, followed by Italy and Spain with three.[4]
| Year | Artist | Song | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Annalisa | Euforia | Italy |
| 2023 | Harry Styles | As It Was | United Kingdom |
| 2021 | Tones and I | Fly Away | Australia |
| 2020 | Dua Lipa | Physical | United Kingdom |
| 2019 | Lewis Capaldi | Someone You Loved | United Kingdom |