Moldova: Submission Window for Eurovision 2026 National Final Now Open!

Moldova’s national broadcaster TRM has opened submissions for Selecția Națională 2026, the national final to select Moldova’s entry for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna. Full participation rules have been released

After a one-year absence, Moldova’s national broadcaster TRM is bringing back its national selection Selecția Națională in a fresh, modern format to choose the song that will represent the country at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria.

As of yesterday (November 7th), the submission window officially opened and will remain open for one month, until December 7th.

From Submissions to the Grand Final: The Selection Process

The Moldovan selection process will consist of three stages:

1. Song Evaluation – A TRM committee will review all submitted entries.

2. Live Auditions – Artists will perform in front of a professional jury.

3. National Final – Scheduled for January 17th, 2026, at Arena Chișinău.

Finalists will be chosen based on song quality, stage presence, and international potential.
The winner will be determined by a combined vote: one-third local jury, one-third international jury, and one-third televoting, following the Eurovision scoring format (1-8, 10, 12 points).

In case of a tie, the public vote will prevail. If a tie remains, TRM will make the final decision.

Participation Rules and Eligibility

The official rules published by TRM include the following key requirements:

• Songs must be original and not publicly released before September 1st, 2026.

• Maximum song length: 3 minutes.

• Performers must be at least 16 years old (participants aged 18+ preferred).

• The lead vocalist must hold Moldovan citizenship, though up to half of a duet or group may be foreign.

• Performances must avoid political, offensive, religious, or commercial content.

• All participants must attend TRM’s scheduled rehearsals and events.

• The winner is contractually obligated to represent Moldova at Eurovision 2026; withdrawal will incur reimbursement of all TRM production expenses.

• TRM reserves the right to alter regulations or select a representative internally at any time.

• Appeals to the competition results must be filed within 24 hours, with TRM issuing a response within 72 hours.

For the first time, the Moldovan national selection will be co-managed by two official producers — Serghei Orlov, a seasoned Eurovision producer, and Roman Burlaca, a renowned Moldovan director known for his collaborations with top pop artists. Together, they aim to give Selecția Națională a new visual identity, combining cutting-edge production technology with bold artistic creativity – a move intended to restore Moldova’s prominence on the European music stage.

Moldova at Eurovision: Distinct Identity and Style

Moldova has participated in Eurovision 19 times without achieving a victory, missing only one contest. In 2020, it planned to compete with Natalia Gordienko and her song “Prison”, but the contest was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Gordienko returned the following year.

Moldova’s absence from the most recent contest marked the first time the country had ever skipped the event. Its debut came in 2005 with Zdob Si Zdub’s “Boonika bate doba” (in English: “Grandma beats the drum”), finishing in sixth place. Since then, Moldova’s results have fluctuated widely. Its best-ever result came in 2017 when Sunstroke Project placed third with “Hey Mamma”.

Moldova is known for showcasing songs that feature local musical flavors, proudly doing so in 2005, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2022, and 2023, achieving a place in the final each time – many of its best results were tied to songs with ethnic influences.

Aside from missing the top prize, Moldova has experienced nearly every position on the scoreboard – from third to last place. In 19 appearances since 2005, Moldova has qualified for 13 finals, with one notable non-qualification streak between 2014 and 2016, reaching its lowest result in 2014 with a last-place finish. Conversely, the country placed in the top half of the scoreboard in 2005, 2007, 2011–2013, 2017–2018, and 2021–2022. Currently, Moldova’s Eurovision outlook remains pretty underwhelming since its last participation ended its recent qualification streak.

Moldova has never won Eurovision and has reached the Top 5 only once, in 2017. with four additional Top 10 finishes – 6th place in Eurovision 2005, 7th place in Eurovision 2022, and another twice finishing 10th, in Eurovision 2007 and Eurovision 2018.