Story perspectives
Eurovision stagehand ninjas swap 25 sets in 48 seconds
5/16/2026
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Story summary
- About two dozen stagehands dubbed “ninjas” swapped the sets of 25 countries in a 48-second window in Vienna during the May 16 Eurovision final.
- Christian Elgner, the contest’s head of props, coordinated the rapid set movements.
- Ahmed Abdelati, an Egyptian civil-engineering student in Austria, worked backstage because he loves music.
- Finland’s performance used a set that was set on fire, adding complexity to the quick change.
