San Marino’s national broadcaster SMRTV will select its Eurovision entry for 2026 through San Marino Song Contest, whoch will take place on March 1st.

San Marino’s national broadcaster SMRTV announced on Monday that it will select its local representative for Eurovision 2026 on March 1st, through the traditional San Marino Song Contest. Reports indicate that the upcoming edition of the contest will undergo another significant structural change. Starting this year, the event will follow a format similar to Eurovision itself, featuring two semi-finals and a grand final – unlike last year’s format, which consisted of seven separate semi-finals.

The country’s new head of delegation, Denny Montesi, also revealed a new preparatory stage called “Stage Live Academy”, due to take place during February before the two semi-finals. This phase aims to serve as a professional training platform for the participants ahead of their appearance on the main stage. It is designed to enhance the contest’s position as an independent and progressive musical hub within San Marino.

San Marino’s History in Eurovision: Struggles and Setbacks

San Marino is considered one of the least successful Eurovision countries. Out of 15 participations, the microstate has qualified for the Grand Final only 4 times, with the most recent being in the latest contest. San Marino has never won in its history, with its best result standing at 19th place. In its debut in 2008, San Marino finished last in its semi-final with just 5 points. Following that disappointment, San Marino withdrew from Eurovision in 2009 and 2010, but has participated regularly since 2011.

Will San Marino continue its momentum of reaching the final and maybe even break its record? Time will tell.