The EBU and the Canadian national broadcaster CBC discuss Canada’s potential debut at the Eurovision Song Contest following a delegation visit to Vienna.
Earlier this week, EuroMix reported on the official team sent to Eurovision 2026 in Vienna by the Canadian national broadcaster CBC, primarily to gather information and consider Canada’s potential participation in the world’s largest music competition. Now, new details are emerging regarding the Canadian delegation and their intentions to join the contest in the coming years.
EBU Response: “We Are Open to Proposals”
The EBU did not remain indifferent and broke its silence on the matter. In an official statement released by the organization, it stated:
“The talks with the national broadcaster CBC are in their very early stages, and we look forward to continuing discussions with them. We are always excited to know that broadcasters are interested in being part of the show”.
Although the discussions are still defined as preliminary, the arrival of the Canadian team at Eurovision 2026 indicates that contacts are warming up, moving from theoretical discussions to practical assessment on the ground.
The current Executive Supervisor of the contest, Martin Green, does not deny the possibility of Canada joining in the coming years, or perhaps even as early as the next contest in 2027. Responding to the possibility of Canadian participation, Green optimistically stated:
“Nothing has reached my desk yet. But what can be said is that we are open. For seventy years, the doors of the contest have been open, and we will welcome anyone who wants to share the values of this wonderful competition and stand on stage together with us”.
The History of Canada’s (Almost) Participation
This is not the first time Canada and Eurovision have been mentioned in the same breath. In 2022, the “Eurovision Canada” format was announced, which was supposed to bring together the country’s 10 provinces and 3 territories for a local competition. The project, designed to ride the wave of the relative success of the American version, was ultimately canceled and never came to fruition. It seems that now, the Canadians have abandoned the idea of establishing a separate competition and are aiming for the real thing: entering the slot of “the guest from the other side of the ocean”, similar to the model of Australia, which joined in 2015.
The exciting buzz surrounding Canada’s potential debut began back in 2025, when a surprising line appeared in the draft of the Canadian government’s federal budget. The draft explicitly stated that “the government is working with CBC to explore participation in Eurovision”. The Canadian Minister of Finance, François-Philippe Champagne, did not hide his enthusiasm in media interviews, stating that “Eurovision is a platform that will allow Canada to shine”. According to him, the country even received an official approach to evaluate its participation.
Optimism Mixed With Doubt
Despite the interest in the contest from government officials and the Canadian national broadcaster, official spokespersons for CBC still note that Canada does not officially meet the criteria for Eurovision participation, as its status in the EBU is an associate member rather than full membership. In order to participate in the contest, Canada would need to receive an official invitation from the European Broadcasting Union, just as happened with Australia in 2015. Is the next neighbor from across the ocean already on its way to the contest? One can only wait and see.
Will Canada make history and debut as early as Eurovision 2027? EuroMix will continue to follow every update.
Eurovision 2026: the 70th edition of the contest will take place in Vienna, Austria, on May 12th, 14th, and 16th, 2026. The Wiener Stadthalle arena, which will host the event, is expected to accommodate around 16,000 spectators per show. The contest returns to Austria following the nation’s third historic win with the song “Wasted Love”, performed by JJ. It will be Austria’s third time hosting Eurovision, after previous editions held in the country in 1967 and 2015.
