The selection of Portugal’s entry for Eurovision has begun: the first semifinal took place this evening, and five contestants have secured their spots in the grand final of “Festival da Canção 2026”.
The first show of Portugal’s national Eurovision selection, “Festival da Canção 2026,” took place this evening. Eight artists competed for five of the ten spots available in the final. Four of the qualifiers were chosen through a combination of 50% audience votes and 50% jury votes, while the fifth finalist was selected in an additional round based solely on 100% public voting.
The semifinal was held at the Valentim de Carvalho studios in Lisbon, hosted by Vasco Palmeirim, Alexandre Guimarães, and Catarina Maia. This was the first of two semifinals, with the final, where Portugal’s Eurovision representative will be chosen, scheduled to take place on March 7 in Lisbon.
Here Are The Five Finalists:
- Dinis Mota – Jurei
- Evaya – Sprint
- Marquise – Chuva
- Nunca Mates o Madarim – Fumo
- Andre Amaro – Dá-Me a Tua Mão
Listen To The Semi’s Songs:
- Dinis Mota – Jurei
- Nunca Mates o Madarim – Fumo
- Evaya – Sprint
- Andre Amaro – Dá-Me a Tua Mão
- Bateu Matou – Nos Teus Olhos
- Marquise – Chuva
- Agridoce – Onde Quero Estar
- Mario Marta– Pertencer
Click on the song title to listen!
Who Will Represent Portugal?
660 songs were submitted this year for Portugal’s “Festival da Canção”, of which 16 reached the live competition stage. The band Bandidos do Canta is the only act that confirmed it will not boycott Eurovision, and will perform in the second semi-final against Sandrino, who has not yet expressed a position. André Amaro also remains silent on the issue and will compete in the first semi-final. Organizers explained that due to scheduling conflicts, Bandidos do Canta and Cristina Branco were automatically assigned to the second semi-final. As mentioned, 13 contestants have publicly stated they will not go to Eurovision if Israel participates and they win the national competition.
Artists joining the protest movement:
- Agridoce
- Bateu Matou
- Dinis Mota
- Evaya
- Francisco Fontes
- Gonçalo Gomes
- Inês Sousa
- Jacaréu and Ana Margarida
- João Ribeiro
- Marquise
- Mario Marta
- Nunca Mates o Madarim
- Silvana Peres
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
Dates of “Festival da Canção 2026”:
First Semi-Final – Saturday, February 21st, 2026.- Second Semi-Final – Saturday, February 28th, 2026.
- Grand Final – Saturday, March 7th, 2026.
“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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A writer and content creator in the field of Eurovision, a commentator with extensive expertise in the modern era of the contest. Adiel’s vast knowledge and familiarity with Eurovision are reflected in every article, ensuring professional and up-to-date content. He closely follows song releases and various Eurovision pre-events. Adiel has a fondness for cultures and new languages, which he discovered through his love of Eurovision. In his writing, he places great emphasis on professional commentary and a diversity of opinions.
