Watch: Tonight at 21:00 CET, Albania’s “Festivali i Këngës 64” grand final takes place, and at its end the Albanian entry for Eurovision 2026 will be selected. A link to watch the broadcast – Below!
Tonight at 21:00 CET, the fourth and final evening of Albania’s “Festivali i Këngës 64”, will take place. at its conclusion the Albanian entry for Eurovision 2026 will be chosen. The festival, which has served as Albania’s national final since 2003, is spread across four evenings this year, with the grand final tonight during which the winning entry will be selected to represent Albania at Eurovision 2026, to be held 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. Among the surprises RTSH is preparing for tonight is Tommy Cash, who represented Estonia at Eurovision 2025 with the hit “Espresso Macchiato”, who will appear on the festival’s main stage as a guest of honor at the grand final.
Albania will be the first country to select a song for Eurovision 2026 and the second to select an artist after Antigoni, who will represent Cyprus.
To watch the first semi-final live between 21:00 and 00:30 CET — click on the screen below!
Who Should We Watch Out for Tonight?
In a poll on the site, the readers decided that the favorite to represent Albania at Eurovision 2026 is singer Alis who competes in the Albanian festival “64 Festivali i Këngës” with the song “Nân” (in English: “Mother”). The singer won the poll with 33.87% of votes. Second place with 22.58% went to the duo Fifi & Tiri Gjoci with the song “Rri” (in English: “Stay”), and third place with 20.97% went to Inis Neziri with the song “Ta kam fal” (in English: “I forgive you”).
The EuroMix team listened to the songs and agreed with the readers’ choice, selecting Alis as the singer worthy to represent Albania at the upcoming Eurovision. Second place was awarded to Inis Neziri, and the duo Fifi & Tiri Gjoci ranked third in the site’s ranking, to view the full results of EuroMix’s ranking, click here.
According to YouTube views, Fifi & Tiri Gjoci lead by a large margin with about 382k views (studio version). Second place by views is Alis with about 284k views, and third is Inis Neziri with about 200k views.
Alis Kallaçi, 22 years old, Albanian singer, returns to the festival stage for a second time after a big breakthrough last year when he won first place in the Albanian version of X Factor as part of Arilena Ara’s team – the same person who would have represented Albania at Eurovision 2020 and who now hosts the precontest this year. The connection continues as they released their duet “Se të dua” and now they reunite since she hosts tonight while he competes. His debut performance at Festivali i Këngës, used as Albania’s national final for Eurovision, was last year, when he placed third with the song “Mjegull” (in English: “Mist”). This year he returns to the festival stage aiming for the win with the song “Nân” (in English: “Mother”).
“Festivali i Këngës 64” Grand Final: Running Order
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Gerta Mahmutaj – Në krahët e tu
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LYNX – Nuk kthehem pas
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Frensi – Tresh
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Evi Reçi – Kodi i jetës
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Rezarta Smaja – Balukeprera
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Rigersa Loka – Albanian Heart
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Vedat Ademi – Kur fjala mbaron
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Erik Lloshi – Dy pika dashuri
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Kleansa Susaj – Hije
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Sara Kapo – Të dua shumë
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Sheila – Zemra e tokës
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Savjana Vjerdha – Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë
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2Farm – Valle mbi hi
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Kamela Islamaj – Pa pretendime
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Gresa Gjocera & Bledi Kaso – Busulla e zemrë
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Inis Neziri – Ta kam fal
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Lorenc Hasrama – Lamtumirë
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Endri Kaçaçi – Si Unë
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Luna Çausholli – Pa kufij
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Alis – Nân
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Ghiti – Okej!
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Enxhi Nasufi – Dritë
- Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – Rri
Click any song title to listen!
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 Mahmutaj, Greta Gjocera & Bledi Kaso, Kleansa Susaj, Luna Causholli and LYNX.
“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. -
Grand Final – Saturday, December 20th, 2025 – Tonight!
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.
