Portugal’s RTP confirms Eurovision 2026 participation despite a massive artist boycott at Festival da Canção. Learn the latest on the controversial selection
Portugal’s national broadcaster, RTP, confirmed participation in Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria, despite a protest from 11 of the 16 national pre-selection artists.
The national broadcaster’s statement is as follows:
“Regardless of the decision of the artists who signed the declaration, the contents of which we understand, RTP will once again organize Festival da Canção and confirms its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, along with the overwhelming majority of EBU member countries”.
The statement from the national broadcaster, RTP, comes in the wake of a declaration signed by 11 of the national pre-selection participants.
“Silence Makes Us Complicit in Tragedy”
The declaration reads:
“Collectively, in a coordinated position among current and future creators and performers, we declare our refusal to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should the song of one of us win Festival da Canção. The country and the world are experiencing moments where silence makes us complicit in tragedy. We cannot ignore the violation of human rights. It is our duty to oppose the decision”.
The artists participating in the declaration are:
- Evaya
- Inês Sousa
- Bateu Matou
- Gonçalo Gomes
- Jacaréu
- Djodje
- Cristina Branco
- Marquise
- Nunca Mates o Madarim
- Francisco Fontes
- Rita Dias
RTP Stands Firm on Eurovision 2026 Commitment
Despite this highly publicized declaration, RTP remains determined to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, having re-affirmed its participation in its news broadcast. This decision raises immediate questions regarding the national selection process: What action will the national broadcaster take if one of the boycotting artists wins the Festival da Canção? Will they select one of the five artists who did not sign the declaration? Perhaps they will opt for an internal selection of a different artist entirely? The European broadcasting community awaits March to find out.
Dates for the Portuguese National Selection (Festival da Canção):
February 21st – First Semi-Final
February 28th – Second Semi-Final
March 7th – Final
“Deslocado” (in English: “Displaced”) is the song that will be performed by NAPA band, representing Portugal in Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. Portugal finished 21st with 50 points, ranked 19th in jury vote and 21st in public vote.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Portugal’s 57th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Portugal joined the competition in 1964 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2017 when singer Salvador Sobral won first place with the song “Amar pelos dois”.
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Maor Heumann has been writing about the Eurovision Song Contest and following it for over three decades. He has attended five contests and has found something to appreciate in almost every possible musical genre — from the sugary pop entries that finish last in the semi-finals to the quirky avant-garde pieces that even the competition’s juries struggled to connect with. He usually prefers original languages and songs with depth over Swedish-produced English clones — though he doesn’t promise to stick to that rule.
He grew up on the kibbutz of Sara’le Sharon, who instilled in him a love for music and created his first connection to the contest back in 1993 — before most of the current editorial team was even born.
