Tomislav Štengl and David Tserunyan Return to Eurovision’s Inner Circle – But Where’s ORF?
Just when you thought the backstage drama of Eurovision couldn’t get any more bureaucratically thrilling, two familiar names have quietly slipped back into the high-powered committee that runs the show behind the glitter. Tomislav Štengl(Croatia) and David Tserunyan (Armenia) have rejoined the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group as invited members – a cosy little promotion for two delegation heads who’ve already graced the table before.
The pair will serve a two-year term and join an elite circle of eight members currently calling the shots behind the scenes. They’re not newcomers – think of them more as returning cast members in a long-running procedural drama, but with fewer car chases and more discussions about budget and branding.
Meanwhile, Austria’s national broadcaster ORF, who will host Eurovision 2026, has yet to appoint a representative to the Group. We’re sure they’re just fashionably late – or maybe still reading the rulebook in dialect. Either way, the chair at the table remains empty, alongside the slot for a new Executive Supervisor to replace Martin Österdahl. (Anyone know a Eurovision-obsessed management consultant with nerves of steel and glitter tolerance?)
Who’s Running the Show (for now)?
Let’s raise the curtain on the current Reference Group ensemble:
- Ana Maria Bordas (RTVE/Spain) – Chairwoman
- Carla Bugalho (RTP/Portugal) – Elected member, Eurovision 2018 Executive Producer
- Molly Plank (DR/Denmark) – Elected member
- Claudia Van Der Pas (AVROTROS/Netherlands) – Elected member
- Moritz Stadler (SSR-SRG/Switzerland) – Eurovision 2025 co-Executive Producer
- Ebba Adielsson (SVT/Sweden) – Eurovision 2024 Executive Producer
- David Tserunyan (AMPTV/Armenia) – Invited member
- Tomislav Štengl (HRT/Croatia) – Invited member
Wait, what does the Reference Group actually do?
Good question, glad you asked. Created in 1998 by the European Broadcasting Union, the Reference Group is essentially the Eurovision Boardroom – where format changes, rule tweaks, funding decisions and branding strategies are discussed over a few cappuccinos and the occasional diplomatic sigh. They meet 5–6 times a year, ideally somewhere with good acoustics and neutral coffee.
Crucially, the Group also oversees the host broadcaster’s preparation and ensures the whole glittery circus doesn’t implode under the weight of 37 delegations, 200,000 TikToks and at least one surprise hologram.
Oh – and they can invite two extra professionals to join at their discretion. Enter Štengl and Tserunyan, presumably with strong coffee and thicker skin than average.
What’s Next?
The EBU is still expected to confirm Austria’s representative and name the new Executive Supervisor for 2026. But until then, the Reference Group is cruising along with its current eight, planning the future of Eurovision one spreadsheet and staging note at a time.
Who needs a cliffhanger when the real drama is choosing the correct LED shade of fuchsia?
Source: EscToday
