List of the top ranking countries of the OGAE Second Chance Contest

This is a list of the top performing countries in the OGAE Second Chance Contest based on most placings in the top five, and by most wins amounted.

Sweden has the most victories in the contest's history, winning a total of 12 times in 22 contests. Norway and Spain follow with 2 victoris to their name.

The decade tables show the number of wins and top 5 placings for each country in the contest's history, which began in 1987.

Ranking tables

Where countries have the same number of top five positions/wins, they are ranked according to most wins, most 2nd places etc.

NOTE: The first contest (1987) allowed each country (Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) to submit two songs to the Contest.

Top 5 placings Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 13 4 1 1 1 20 2  United Kingdom – 4 2 3 1 10 3  Norway 2 2 2 1 2 9 4  Netherlands 1 2 1 1 4 9 5  Germany – – 6 3 – 9 6  Spain 2 2 2 3 – 9 7  Slovenia 1 1 1 1 1 5 8  Ireland – 1 2 – 2 5 9  Denmark 1 1 – 2 1 5 10  Israel – 1 2 – 2 5 12  Greece – 1 – 2 1 4 13  Finland 1 1 – 1 – 3 14  Croatia – 1 – 1 1 3 15  Belgium – 1 – 2 – 3 16  Portugal – – 1 1 – 2 17  Austria – – 1 – 1 2 18  Malta – – – 2 – 2 19  France – – – 1 1 2 20  Iceland 1 – – – – 1 21  Turkey 1 – – – – 1 22  Serbia and Montenegro – 1 – – – 1 23  Poland – – 1 – – 1 24  Estonia – – – – 1 1 24  Switzerland – – – – 1 1

Total wins Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 13 4 1 1 1 20 2  Spain 2 2 2 3 – 9 3  Norway 2 2 2 1 2 9 4  Netherlands 1 2 1 1 4 9 5  Slovenia 1 1 1 1 1 5 6  Finland 1 1 – 1 – 3 7  Denmark 1 1 – 2 1 5 8  Turkey 1 – – – – 1 9  Iceland 1 – – – – 1 10  United Kingdom – 4 2 3 1 10 11  Ireland – 1 2 – 2 5 12  Israel – 1 2 – 2 5 13  Greece – 1 – 2 1 4 14  Croatia – 1 – 1 1 3 15  Belgium – 1 – 2 – 3 16  Serbia and Montenegro – 1 – – – 1 17  Germany – – 6 3 – 9 18  Portugal – – 1 1 – 2 19  Austria – – 1 – 1 2 20  Poland – – 1 – – 1 21  Malta – – – 2 – 2 22  France – – – 1 1 2 23  Estonia – – – – 1 1 23  Switzerland – – – – 1 1

Countries never to finish in the top five are:

Country	Best position
Andorra	14 !14th
Armenia	16 !16th
Azerbaijan	22 !22nd
Bosnia and Herzegovina	07 !7th
Bulgaria	21 !21st
Cyprus	07 !7th
Hungary	07 !7th
Latvia	08 !8th
Lithuania	14 !14th
Macedonia	06 !6th
Moldova	15 !15th
Romania	09 !9th
Russia	06 !6th
Serbia	09 !9th
Slovakia	14 !14th
Ukraine	07 !7th
Yugoslavia	07 !7th

By decade

The following tables show which countries have been the top performers each decade, firstly per placings in the top five, then per number of wins.

1980s

Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 2 1 – – – 3 2  Netherlands – 1 1 – 1 3 3  Denmark 1 – – 1 – 2 4  Norway – 1 – 1 – 2 4  Finland – 1 – 1 – 2 5  Germany – – 1 – – 1

Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 2 1 – – – 3 3  Denmark 1 – – 1 – 2 2  Netherlands – 1 1 – 1 3 4  Norway – 1 – 1 – 2 4  Finland – 1 – 1 – 2 5  Germany – – 1 – – 1

The 1980s rankings are based on just 3 contests, with two songs per country competing in the first contest in 1987. Sweden lead the decade with two wins and a second place, while neighbouring Denmark took the third win of the contest.

1990s

Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 5 1 – 1 1 8 2  United Kingdom – 2 1 2 1 6 3  Norway 2 – 2 – 1 5 4  Ireland – 1 2 – 2 5 5  Germany – – 4 1 – 5

Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 5 1 – 1 1 8 5  Norway 2 – 2 – 1 5 4  Netherlands 1 1 – – 2 4 2  Italy 1 1 – – 1 3 5  Turkey 1 – – – – 1

The 1990s introduced many new countries to the contest, some of which were able to reach the top 5. Sweden continued to dominate the contest, with 5 wins and 8 top 5 finishes to their name. The United Kingdom, Germany and Ireland also amounted a large number of top 5 placings, despite none winning the contest outright. However Norway, the Netherlands, Turkey and Italy all won the contest during this decade.

2000s

Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 5 2 1 – – 8 2  Spain 2 2 3 – 8 3  Slovenia 1 1 1 1 – 4 4  United Kingdom – 2 1 – – 3 5  Germany – – 1 2 – 3

Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 5 2 1 – – 8 2  Spain 2 2 3 1 – 8 3  Slovenia 1 1 1 1 – 4 4  Finland 1 – – – – 1 5  United Kingdom – 2 1 – – 3

Sweden continued its dominance in the contest, with seven Top 3 placing in eight contests, including five wins. Spain became a dominant power in the contest, with two wins, and a total of seven Top 5 placings. Finland and Slovenia gained their first victory 12 and 13 years after their debuts respectively, with Slovenia achieving a total of four Top 5 placings.

A number of older countries, such as the Netherlands and Norway, were unable to replicate their success of the past decade, however the United Kingdom and Germany were able to achieve a number of Top 5 placings.

2010s

Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 1 1 – – – 2 2  Denmark – 1 - 1 – 2 3  Israel – – – – 2 2 4  Iceland 1 - – – – 1 5  Portugal – – 1 – – 1 =  Italy – – 1 – – 1

Position Country 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total 1  Sweden 1 1 - – – 2 2  Iceland 1 - - - – 1 3  Denmark - 1 - 1 – 2 4  Portugal – – 1 – - 1 =  Italy – – 1 – - 1 5  Spain – - - 1 - 1

In the first contest of the new decade, Sweden took their 13th win in the contest. Denmark took their first second place, and Portugal achieved their best finish yet, coming 3rd. Spain and Israel rounded off the top 5.

References

• OGAE Second Chance National Records