Eurovision 2026 begins in court: All the drama behind the Sanremo Festival tender, the hints shared by the host, and why only RAI submitted a bid.
The Sanremo Festival, one of Europe’s most significant musical events and undoubtedly Italy’s most central, is currently at the epicenter of an unprecedented cultural, political, and legal storm. Such turmoil has not been seen since the competition’s inception in 1951, predating even Eurovision. The core issue is not just who will stand on stage, but primarily who will operate this grand platform, who will own this cultural-national format, and how Italy’s journey to Eurovision will look in the coming years.
At the center of the storm lies the question of ownership and production rights. Is the Italian national broadcaster, RAI, entitled to produce the festival without a public tender? And will the upcoming legal decision undermine the broadcaster’s historic role as the steward of an event that has become a cornerstone of Italian identity?
Within this turmoil, it has been revealed that Carlo Conti has once again been chosen as the artistic director for Sanremo Festival 2026. He has already begun to share some details about the song selection process, offering a glimpse into the complex mechanisms behind the scenes of this grand production.
Sanremo and Eurovision: A Deep Historical Connection
For many years, the Sanremo Festival has also served as a platform for selecting Italy’s Eurovision representative, though not always in a consistent or direct manner. From 1956 to 1966, the festival winner was chosen as the Eurovision act. The festival was also used as a selection method in 1972 and 1997. In 2011, Sanremo returned to prominence, albeit differently: that year, the representative was chosen from the “Best New Artist” category. Since 2012, the overall Sanremo winner has been given the first right to represent Italy at Eurovision – a right most winners have exercised, except in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2025.
Sanremo’s role as Italy’s Eurovision national selection, even if not officially designated as such, makes it an event of broad European significance. Any change in the festival’s structure or ownership could directly affect the quality, character, and visibility of Italy’s Eurovision representation.
Ahead of Eurovision 2011, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) made significant efforts to bring Italy back to the competition after its absence from 1998 to 2010. Due to its large population and the resulting high participation fee, Italy was granted an automatic spot in the final, alongside France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain – the so-called “Big Five”.
Today, the Sanremo Festival is considered a bridge between Italy’s local music culture and the international Eurovision stage. The current debate over its production is not just about ownership but about how Italy chooses to present itself to the world.
Legal Battle: Could RAI Lose the Festival It Nurtured?
May 22nd, 2025, was set to be a pivotal day in the festival’s history, as the Italian Council of State (Consiglio di Stato) was expected to rule on an appeal by RAI and the Municipality of Sanremo against a verdict from the Ligurian Regional Administrative Court (TAR).
In its December 2024 decision, the court ruled that the long-standing direct agreement between the Municipality of Sanremo and RAI for producing the festival was illegal, demanding a public tender process starting in 2026. This landmark ruling not only casts doubt on RAI’s future as the producer but also raises questions about the legality of all previous agreements. In their appeal, the petitioners argue that they hold exclusive rights to the Sanremo Festival format and are thus solely authorized to produce and host it.
However, on the day the decision was expected, the Council of State announced it would postpone its ruling by a week. According to ANSA:
“No decision was made by the Council of State, which reviewed the appeals submitted by RAI and the Municipality of Sanremo against the Ligurian Administrative Court’s ruling. The decision is expected within about a week”.
Consequently, the tender process announced by the municipality for producing the festival over the next three years (2026–2028) remains unresolved. The Council of State’s decision could even cancel the tender entirely if it finds the direct agreement with RAI justified.
The upcoming ruling could either return production rights to RAI or uphold the requirement to open the market to competition – a scenario that could fundamentally alter the festival, including its identity, character, and possibly its role as Italy’s Eurovision pre-selection. Another possibility is the emergence of multiple concurrent music festivals, which would diminish Sanremo’s importance. It is important to note that, regardless, only RAI has the right to select Italy’s Eurovision representative, as it is the national broadcaster and a member of the EBU.
Carlo Conti Returns: “RAI Needs the Festival as Much as the Festival Needs RAI”
Carlo Conti returns as artistic director, one of the most recognized names in Italian television production and the festival’s recent artistic leader. Speaking at a television festival in Dogliani, Conti clarified his stance on the relationship between the festival and RAI:
“You cannot separate the festival from the Municipality of Sanremo, and RAI needs the festival as much as the festival needs RAI. It is a massive logistical undertaking, not just during the five broadcast nights but also behind the scenes – it’s a huge operational machine”.
Conti also emphasized his personal sense of responsibility:
“I experience Sanremo like a holiday. My goal is simply to put on a good festival. I don’t care if there are a few more or fewer rating points. I just want to choose good songs and create a worthy evening”.
He went on to describe preparations for the 76th edition:
“Songs are already coming in, some sent directly, others via record labels. From the ‘Big’ artists, about 500 submissions are expected, another 600 from the ‘Nuove Proposte’ (New Proposals) category, and hundreds more from ‘Area Sanremo.’ A committee helps me select the new artist entries. The top artists? I listen to them personally”.
In other words, the artistic director personally reviews and filters the top category, highlighting the power and personal involvement required for the role.
Conti’s reappointment signals RAI’s attempt to project stability amid legal uncertainty. His expertise, connections, and extensive experience grant him public and professional legitimacy, and the fact that he is already preparing – before the legal process concludes – demonstrates the trust placed in him and RAI’s intent to continue managing the festival in the coming years.
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
An Open Tender – But Only RAI in the Game
Following the court’s decision, the Municipality of Sanremo published a tender for producing the next three festival editions, with an option to extend for two more years. Despite the potential, only one entity submitted a bid: RAI. Major private companies like “Mediaset” and “Warner Bros. Discovery” chose not to apply, underscoring RAI’s historic strength and the prevailing sense that the festival is inseparably linked to it.
The tender includes significant economic changes: the annual payment to the municipality was raised to at least €6.5 million, and a requirement was added to broadcast related events as part of the production. Additionally, a 1% advertising revenue fee for brand usage rights was imposed, causing reservations from RAI. Nevertheless, and despite ongoing legal proceedings, RAI remains the sole bidder – making the tender less effective and raising questions about its necessity.
RAI CEO: “Only RAI Can Produce Sanremo”
At the same Dogliani event, RAI CEO Giampaolo Rossi explained why he believes only the public broadcaster can produce the festival:
“RAI is the only one capable of mounting a live production of this scale for five consecutive nights. Every time I participate in this festival, I tell my team – don’t just look at what’s happening on stage, but also everything behind it. Only RAI and its teams can broadcast live, for five straight evenings, one of the world’s most important shows. RAI possesses unmatched production capabilities”.
Rossi also addressed RAI’s decision to participate in the tender despite ongoing legal proceedings and certain reservations:
“We participated in the tender with reservations, but it was right for RAI to submit a bid while legal proceedings are ongoing. We had reservations about certain conditions – like the obligation to broadcast related events or the increased cost – but we understood that the festival’s continuity could not be jeopardized”.
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
The Bottom Line – Implications for Italy at Eurovision
Sanremo Festival 2026 now carries more than just songs and a glittering stage. It has become a symbol of a broader struggle over the essence of public culture, the boundaries between law and tradition, and the question of who holds the rights to lead the Italian voice – both within the country and on the European stage.
Behind the headlines lies a real drama: Can a public entity continue to own a national event, or must it compete in an open market against commercial organizations? Will the festival remain part of the public broadcasting mechanism, or will it become just another entertainment product in private hands?
The coming weeks will determine not only the future of the festival, but also Italy’s place in Eurovision—and the way it chooses to represent itself to all of Europe.
Italy at Eurovision 2025
“Volevo essere un duro” (translated as: “I Wanted to Be Tough”) is the song performed by singer Lucio Corsi, which came second at the 75th edition of the Sanremo Festival. The song was written by the singer himself along with Tommaso Ottomano. This was the singer’s first-ever appearance at the festival. The song is performed in Italian. The song finished fifth in the grand final with 256 points.
Italy returns to the Eurovision Grand Final Top 5 after last year achieving “only” seventh place.
Sources: iltempo, ansa, eurofestivalitalia, mistermovie, davidemaggio.
Eurovision 2025: This was Italy’s 50th participation in Eurovision. Italy joined the contest in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won three times over the years. Italy’s most recent victory was at Eurovision 2021 with the song “Zitti e buoni” performed by the band Måneskin.
