The Semi-Final Allocation Draw for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Oslo, Norway. Under scrutiny of Svante Stockselius, Executive Supervisor of the contest on behalf of the EBU, the Host Broadcaster's Head of Press Peter Svaar conducted the draw. An Oslo police officer was present to keep a strict eye on the procedure.

During the Semi-Final Allocation Draw, it was be determined which countries will be represented in which of the two Semi-Finals of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. The 34 countries represented in the Semi-Finals were drawn from five pots, based on voting patterns of last years as analyzed by the contest's voting partner Digame. By spreading these countries over two Semi-Finals, the impact of neighbour- and diaspora voting is limited and the contest more exciting.

Half of the countries were drawn into the first Semi-Final (on the 25th of May) - as drawn:

    * Serbia (first half)
    * Finland (first half)
    * Russia (first half)
    * Greece (second half)
    * Slovakia (first half)
    * Bosnia & Herzegovina (first half)
    * Iceland (second half)
    * Moldova (first half)
    * Malta (second half)
    * Portugal (second half)
    * FYR Macedonia (second half)
    * Latvia (first half)
    * Belarus (second half)
    * Belgium (second half)
    * Poland (second half)
    * Albania (second half)
    * Estonia (first half)

The other half was drawn into the second Semi-Final (on the 27th of May) - as drawn:

    * Switzerland (first half)
    * Lithuania (first half)
    * Georgia (second half)
    * Turkey (second half)
    * Ireland (second half)
    * Slovenia (second half)
    * Sweden (first half)
    * Ukraine (first half)
    * The Netherlands (second half)
    * Bulgaria (second half)
    * Croatia (second half)
    * Denmark (first half)
    * Azerbaijan (first half)
    * Cyprus (second half)
    * Romania (second half)
    * Israel (first half)
    * Armenia (first half)

As part of the draw, it was also determined if those countries will perform in the first or second half of the respective Semi-Final, so that each delegation already knows exactly on which day they are expected in Oslo for the rehearsals in May.

The five pots looked like this:

Pot 1: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland
Pot 2: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden
Pot 3: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Israel, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine
Pot 4: Armenia, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, the Netherlands, Turkey
Pot 5: Bulgaria, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia

There was also a draw to decide which of the two Semi-Finals the so-called 'Big Four' (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom) and host country Norway will be obliged to broadcast and vote in (as drawn):

    * Norway (Second Semi-Final)
    * Germany (First Semi-Final)
    * United Kingdom (Second Semi-Final)
    * Spain (First Semi-Final)
    * France (Second Semi-Final)

The next draw, to decide upon the starting order of the songs in each Semi-Final and the Final, will be conducted - as usual - at the Heads of Delegation meeting in March.

/Eurovision.tv/