Watch: Tonight at 21:00 CET, Albania’s “Festivali i Këngës 64”continues, leading to the selection of Albania’s Eurovision 2026 entry. The evening is dedicated to nostalgia, with performances of beloved songs from past editions, special duets, and surprises.
Tonight at 21:00 CET, the third evening of Albania’s “Festivali i Këngës 64”, will take place. Tomorrow, the festival will conclude with the selection of Albania’s entry for Eurovision 2026. Since 2003, this festival has served as the Albanian national final and this year unfolds over four evenings. Over the past two nights, the first and second semifinals were broadcast, where all 28 contestants performed their songs hoping to represent Albania at Eurovision. Now, both the participants and the audience eagerly await to find out who will advance to tomorrow’s grand final.
Tonight will feature a special nostalgic event where this year’s contestants will perform memorable songs from the festival’s past. They won’t do it alone — iconic past participants of Festivali i Këngës will join them in duets. This entire evening, dedicated to the theme of “The Night of Nostalgia” (in Albanian: Nata e Nostalgjisë), will pay tribute to the great writers and poets who have enriched the festival’s history. Expect heartfelt renditions of timeless classics that left a lasting mark on Albanian music. At the end of the night, the final list of performers advancing to Saturday’s grand final will be announced, the grand final will be held tomorrow, December 20th . The winner will go on to represent Albania at Eurovision 2026, which will take place in Vienna, Austria.
As in previous years, the festival will take place at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana. The event will be hosted by Salsano Rrapi and Arilena Ara, the latter originally selected to represent Albania at Eurovision 2020. The Albanian entry for Eurovision 2026 will be determined through a combination of votes: 50% from the jury, 25% from SMS voting within Albania and neighboring countries, and another 25% from international online votes via a dedicated application.
To watch the first semi-final live between 21:00 and 00:15 CET — click on the screen below!
List of Contestants in “Festivali i Këngës 64”:
Semi-Final 1 – Wednesday, December 17th
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Rigersa Loka – Albanian Heart
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Lorenc Hasrama – Lamtumirë
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Sara Kapo – Të dua shumë
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Sheila – Zemra e tokës
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Kleansa Susaj – Hije
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Gresa Gjocera & Bledi Kaso – Busulla e zemrë
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!Ghiti – Okej!
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LYNX – Nuk kthehem pas
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Erand Sojli – Të kam në fron
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Inis Neziri – Ta kam fal
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Kimi – Prap diell de
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Alis – Nân
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Enxhi Nasufi – Dritë
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Rezarta Smaja – Balukeprera
Semi-Final 2 – Thursday, December 18th
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Savjana Vjerdha – ID
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2Farm – Valle mbi hi
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Gerta Mahmutaj – Në krahët e tu
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Sihana Haxhnikaj – Horizont
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Luna Çausholli – Pa kufij
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Erik Lloshi – Dy pika dashuri
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Frensi – Tresh
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Malvina Likajn – Përtej shpirti
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Vedat Ademi – Kur fjala mbaron
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Kamela Islamaj – Pa pretendime
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ThreeX – Vite
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Endri Kaçaçi – Si Unë
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3Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – Rri
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Evi Reçi – Kodi i jetës
Click any song title to listen!
Listen to the Full Playalist Here:
Among the Contestants – Many Familiar Names:
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Alis – Participated last year with the song “Mjegull”, finishing in third place.
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2 Farm – Competed in the 2023 selection with “Atomike”, which was a fan favorite but failed to reach the final.
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Enxhi Nasufi – a well-known Albanian singer who took part in the 59th edition, serving as the 2021 national selection, with the song “Njesoj”.
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Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – A duo, each of whom has previously participated individually. Fifi competed in 2023 with “Stop”, and Tiri Gjoci in 2020 with “Me goten bosh”.
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Rezarta Smaja – Took part with “E jemja nuse“, composed by this year’s representatives Shkodra Elektronike, in the 2022 selection, placing third.
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Kamela Islamaj – A frequent participant, remembered most for “Me ngyros” in 2020.
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Lorenc Hasrama – Performed with the song “Fryme” last year, reached the final, and placed fifth.
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Inis Neziri – Competed several times, with “Pendese” in 2021 and “Piedestal” in 2018, the latter securing third place.
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Evi Reçi – A well-known festival participant who has entered numerous times.
Other past participants who placed lower include Sara Kapo, Erik Lloshi, Frensi, Greta Mahmutaji, Greta Gjocera & Bledi Kaso, Kleansa Susaj, and Luna Causholli.
What Should We Expect After the Nostalgia Night?
The excitement will peak tomorrow, on the fourth and final evening – the Grand Final on December 20th. At the end of the night, the winner who will carry Albania’s flag to Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria will be announced. The winner will be chosen through a combination of jury and public votes: 50% by Professional jury panel, 25% by SMS votes from Albania and neighboring countries, and 25% by International online voting via a dedicated application.
“Festivali i Këngës 64” Dates:
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First Semi-Final – Wednesday, December 17th, 2025. -
Second Semi-Final – Thursday, December 18th, 2025. -
Nostalgia Night – Friday, December 19th, 2025 – Tonight!
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Grand Final – Saturday, December 20th, 2025.
Albania at Eurovision 2025
“Zjerm” (in English: “Fire”), performed by the duo Shkodra Elektronike, represented Albania at Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. Albania qualified for the final from the first semi-final in second place with 122 points and finished eighth in the grand final with 218 points – 45 from the jury and 173 from the public.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Albania’s 22nd participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Albania joined the competition in 2004 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2012 when singer Rona Nishliu reached fifth place with the song “Suus”.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
