Contest year
- Host City
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Venue
- Belgrade Arena
- Final Date
- January 1, 2008
- Entries
- 43
- The 2008 contest introduced a major format change, expanding to two live semi-finals for the first time, while setting a participation record with 43 countries and welcoming debutants Azerbaijan and San Marino; Austria withdrew, citing concerns about semi-final organisation and politicisation.
- Plans were briefly thrown into doubt after Kosovo’s declaration of independence, prompting discussion of moving the event, but Belgrade retained hosting with heightened security for some delegations.
- It also marked the first year of the perpetual glass microphone winner’s trophy and saw Russia win with Dima Bilan.
- via Wikipedia