Largest Eurovision Song Contest fan network

OGAE (Organisation Générale des Amateurs de l’Eurovision) was founded in Savonlinna, Finland, in 1984 by Jaripekka Koikkalainen, allowing the country’s Eurovision fans to connect with each other and share news about the contest. In 2011, the non-profit, non-governmental umbrella organisation OGAE International was established (headquartered in Paris, France) to coordinate activity across the OGAE network, which has since grown to include 17,000 members in 44 national fan clubs, based in countries that have taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). OGAE Rest of the World has also been created for members from non-participating nations such as Afghanistan, Botswana, Brazil, China, Seychelles, South Africa and USA. OGAE International has members on every continent.

OGAE International works in co-operation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and national broadcasters from the participating countries to help promote the ESC. Membership benefits include ticket packages to the annual semi-finals and final, merchandise discounts and access to Eurovision-themed events across Europe. Each year, the organisation runs the OGAE Song Contest, with national clubs nominating an original, non-Eurovision song released in their country in the past 12 months. Established in 1986, the OGAE Song Contest has been won eight times by the United Kingdom, who were represented by Kate Winslet’s “What If” in 2002, Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” in 2009, Freemasons/Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer)” in 2010, Adele’s “Someone Like You” in 2011, Steps’ “Scared of the Dark” in 2018, Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” in 2019, Dua Lipa’s “Physical” in 2020 and Harry Styles’ “As It Was” in 2023. Other popular winners have included Mylène Farmer (France, 1991), Laura Pausini (Italy, 1993), 2005 ESC winner Helena Paparizou (Greece, 2006) and Tones and I (Australia, 2021).

The 2024 OGAE Song Contest features the likes of Sabrina Carpenter (with “Please Please Please” for the Rest of the World) and 2024 ESC runners-up Baby Lasagna (with “IG Boy” for Croatia). The winner will be crowned on 11 November.

Since 2007, OGAE International has also polled its members to find the network’s favourite ESC entry each year, using the traditional Eurovision voting system of 12 points for first place, 10 points for second, eight for third, and so on. Loreen has won the OGAE Poll twice (in 2012 and 2023); the other poll winners who went on to taste victory at the ESC are Marija Šerifović (2007), Alexander Rybak (2009), Emmelie de Forest (2013) and Netta (2018). Croatia’s Baby Lasagna won the 2024 poll with “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”, with Angelina Mango’s “La noia” second for Italy and contest winner Nemo third with “The Code” for Switzerland. Some 5,760 votes were cast.

This record excludes informal social-media-based groups.