Global Festival 2018
GlobeFest 2018, officially known as The Global Festival 2018 and more commonly as Yaochang 2018, was the 8th edition of The Global Festival - an annual international culture and music competition organised by the World Media Commission for members of the World Broadcasters' Association. The show took place between 26 October and 3 November 2018 at the 36,000 capacity Doyang International Indoor Centre in Yaochang, Touzen 
, with more than 200,000 spectators attending the live broadcasts - including 65,000 attendees at the Launch Ceremony split over two exhibition halls.
Organisation
Touzen broadcaster TOK and the City of Yaochang were chosen as the host broadcaster and city of the 2018 edition in late 2014 at a session of WBA members and commissioners of the World Media Commission. The city was selected ahead of Bahía Blanca (Republica del Sur), the front-runner and favourite, Westhaven/St Thomas (Havenshire), Caladbolg (Saelríocht) and Metz (Lorraine). The result of the bid was controversial, with the del Sur delegation claiming that Havenshire's representatives had been bribed to switch their votes to support Yaochang once Westhaven had been eliminated. The WBA and WMC investigated the allegations but found no evidence to support the claim. Bahía Blanca would eventually however go on to be announced as the host of the 2020 show four years later in early 2018 during the build up to Yaochang. Caladbolg had been an outside contender to host, having been the contest's unofficial "stand-by" host between 2011 and 2014.
In the run up to the show several delays were reported with preparations, and there were news reports that the WMC were considering asking TOK to move the show to the Touzen's capital city, Almintora. Show organisers instead brought in several veterans of previous organising committees - including Luca Ford. Many changes were made to the show - including the running order and other aspects to make it more appealing for viewers. The show opened to critical acclaim on 26 October in Yaochang as planned.
Results
Group qualification
46 countries took part in the show, the highest number recorded for several years.
The 2018 edition was also the first edition to focus solely on the musical element of the competition - the WMC had announced at the end of the 2016 show in Marlborough that dancing would be removed as a competitive element following the 2017 show. Ice dancing was removed in 2014. Izistan in Kashtan hosted a 'pre-show' in the week running up to the contest, which has become a new tradition, attended by around 20 of the entries.
The favourites to win the competition prior to rehearsals were the United Republics, who had won the competition in Concord three years previously, and Brasilia Azul. During rehearsals, 2014 winners Keida emerged as a contender. All three would make the final, placing seventh, fifth and sixth respectively. Republica del Sur, as last year's winners, used their bonus to advance to the duel stage of the competition, where they were eliminated.
| Nation | Entry | Artist | Language | Genre | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Aleconia
|
Hearts Ain't Gonna Lie | Arlina | Havenish | Pop | 32 |
 Arandaal
|
Love Lasts Forever | Sømo | Havenish | Pop | 23 |
 Auscania
|
On My Own | Claire Richards | Havenish | Anthem | 8 |
 Belmonté
|
D'aimer | Josh Gròben | Gallian | Ballad | 26 |
 Boliatur
|
Cylla | Illaria | Sarmatian | Anthem | 45 |
 Brasilia Azul
|
For You | Rita and Liam | Havenish | Anthem | 37 |
 Butan
|
Multu Ol | Ferhat Göçer | Butanese | Pop | 17 |
 Cantigny
|
Fight For This Love | Cheryl | Havenish | Pop | 10 |
 Coronado
|
Me Pardonne | Claudio Kendji | Gallian | Pop | 13 |
 Eiffelland
|
Don't Want To Lose You Again | Second Summer | Havenish | Anthem | 3 |
 Elon
|
Soldiers | Delara | Havenish | Pop | 41 |
 Erlangen-Ansbach
|
Phantom of the Dancefloor | Kiesza and Hermann | Havenish | Pop | 7 |
 Altai
|
Jedra | Sasá | Gornian | Ballad | 5 |
 Gunnlandia
|
Mother | Ina | Havenish | Pop | 2 |
 Havenshire
|
My Only Soul | Billy Downs | Havenish | Anthem | 39 |
 Jurzan
|
Ari Ari | Tamar | Havenish/Jurzanese | Pop | 36 |
 Kanem Bornu
|
Ashes | Minuala | Havenish | Ballad | 28 |
 Karakhstan
|
The Distant | Gabrellius | Havenish | Anthem | 33 |
 Karolina
|
What Happened To Us | Gabby | Havenish | Anthem | 15 |
 Kelsekk
|
Love | Robin | Havenish | Anthem | 1 |
 Keida
|
Friends | Raye | Havenish | Pop | 31 |
 Kryobaijan
|
Ngrie (Amazing) | Dani | Havenish/Baijani | Ballad | 42 |
 Lovisa
|
Warrior | Chloe | Havenish | Anthem | 35 |
 Lusitania
|
Nothing Here | Liam | Havenish | Pop | 25 |
 Milát
|
Sirens | The Shadow | Havenish | Anthem | 24 |
 Montelimar
|
Tu Van Manquer | Girou | Gallian | Anthem | 22 |
 Nicosia
|
Like Nobody's Watching | Sara | Havenish | Ballad | 34 |
 Norseland
|
Never Fall In Love | Anaœton | Havenish | Pop | 44 |
 Nuweland
|
Evergreen | Reign | Havenish | Anthem | 21 |
 Part-Hava
|
Say It Anyway | Agnew | Havenish | Ballad | 9 |
 Polasciana
|
Noyachana | Polina | Sarmatian | Ballad | 27 |
 Potenza
|
Fall On Me | Matteo and Andrea | Havenish/Potenzan | Ballad | 11 |
 Puerto
|
Youth | Halie | Havenish | Pop | 16 |
 Republica del Sur
|
Changing | Conrad | Havenish | Anthem | 4 |
 Saelríocht
|
Prove Me Wrong | Angelis | Havenish | Ballad | 38 |
 Sarmatia
|
Rush | Jesse and Leon | Havenish | Ballad | 20 |
 Secadores
|
Safari | Serena | Havenish | Pop | 18 |
 Shcherbatskaya
|
Be Free | Catirinah | Havenish | Ballad | 12 |
 Skarabost and Storhavn
|
Thunderstruck | Erlend | Havenish | Pop | 19 |
 Talemantros
|
Alive | Lyda | Havenish | Ballad | 14 |
 Telora
|
Ghost | Storvi | Havenish | Anthem | 29 |
| Touzen
|
Real Life | Kung | Havenish | Pop | 40 |
 Tulus and Biminis
|
I'll Be There | Enea | Havenish | Pop | 43 |
 Unitania
|
You Are My World | Agnese | Havenish | Pop | 6 |
 United Republics
|
Come Undone | Rhys | Havenish | Ballad | 46 |
 Western States
|
Love Is A Game | Haven | Havenish | Anthem | 30 |
Direct rounds
Duel 1
| Genre | Qualify | Nation | Song |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pop | 1 | Erlangen-Ansbach
|
"Phantom of the Dancefloor" |
| 2 | Puerto
|
"Youth" | |
| Anthem | 1 | Republica del Sur
|
"Changing" |
| 2 | Montelimar
|
"Tu Van Manquer" | |
| Ballad | 1 | Potenza
|
"Fall On Me" |
| 2 | Sarmatia
|
"Rush" |
Duel 2
| Genre | Qualify | Nation | Song |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pop | 3 | Keida
|
"Friends" |
| 4 | Elon
|
Soldiers | |
| Anthem | 3 | Milát
|
"Sirens" |
| 4 | Brasilia Azul
|
For You | |
| Ballad | 3 | Kanem Bornu
|
"Ashes" |
| 4 | Kryobaijan
|
Ngrie (Amazing) |
Finals
Final
| Nation | Entry | Artist | Language | Genre | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keida
|
Friends | Raye | Havenish | Pop | 6 |
| Brasilia Azul
|
For You | Rita and Liam | Havenish | Anthem | 5 |
| Erlangen-Ansbach
|
Phantom of the Dancefloor | Kiesza and Hermann | Havenish | Pop | 10 |
| Potenza
|
Fall On Me | Matteo and Andrea | Havenish/Potenzan | Ballad | 1 |
| Elon
|
Soldiers | Delara | Havenish | Pop | 4 |
| Kanem Bornu
|
Ashes | Minuala | Havenish | Ballad | 8 |
| Lusitania
|
Nothing Here | Liam | Havenish | Pop | 9 |
| Milát
|
Sirens | The Shadow | Havenish | Anthem | 2 |
| Montelimar
|
Tu Van Manquer | Girou | Gallian | Anthem | 3 |
| United Republics
|
Come Undone | Rhys | Havenish | Ballad | 7 |
Superfinal
| Nation | Entry | Artist | Language | Genre | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montelimar
|
Tu Van Manquer | Girou | Gallian | Anthem | Third place |
| Milát
|
Sirens | The Shadow | Havenish | Anthem | Runner-up |
| Potenza
|
Fall On Me | Matteo and Andrea | Havenish/Potenzan | Ballad | Winner |