CBC officially joins Eurovision 2027: Prime Minister Mark Carney confirms Canada will eschew internal selection for a democratic public national final format
Thought the inclusion of Australia in 2015 was a one-time event? Think again. The EBU dropped a bombshell yesterday, connecting Canada to the competition – a massive music empire that has generated some of the biggest stars in the world. The new nation is not coming “just to participate”, but is already presenting a plan to select its very first song for the grand contest.
A new country at Eurovision 2027: 12 years after Australia joined the competition, Canada is officially joining for the first time in 2027. The Canadian national broadcaster, CBC, officially became a full member state of the EBU last week, and yesterday it officially confirms its participation in Eurovision 2027. Canada is the 12th country to confirm its participation in Eurovision 2027, following Bulgaria (the host country), Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Democratic Choice: Open National Selection for the Public
Unlike many countries that choose their representatives through an internal selection without public involvement, the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, made it clear that the choice of the country’s first representative will not be internal. During the official announcement, he promised that the Canadian public and the local music industry would take an active and significant part in the selection.
“The citizens of Canada will take upon themselves the difficult decision – who will represent us at Eurovision. Our debut will be a national team effort. The world needs more Canada”.
The national broadcaster CBC is expected to reveal the full details, format rules, and voting system of the local national selection later this year. Interest from Eurovision fans and residents of Canada is particularly high due to Canada’s rich and high-quality music industry.
What do you think should represent Canada at Eurovision 2027? Let us know in the comments!
What Do We Know for Sure?
- A Joint Effort of Public and Industry: Prime Minister Mark Carney made it clear that the decision will not remain solely in the hands of executives at the national broadcaster. The selection will have a structure that grants an active and significant role to the general Canadian public, alongside professionals from the local music industry.
- Immense Industry Interest: This is the first time in Canada’s history that local artists will receive an official opportunity to compete for a ticket to the biggest stage in the world. CBC expects an unprecedented response from writers and performers, as this is an incredible international exposure platform.
- National Statement: The Canadian government treats this as a “national team effort.” The goal is to harness the entire country around the project, with the ambition of showcasing Canada’s musical richness to the world.
The Prime Minister further announced that later in 2026, all official details regarding the Canadian national selection will be published.
Information Expected to be Revealed:
- Broadcast Format: One festive evening, or several semi-finals, similar to the Swedish national selection – “Melodifestivalen”.
- Voting Method: How the weight will be divided between the public home vote and the jury panels of the music industry.
- Eligibility Criteria: What restrictions will be imposed on artists and writers (for example, mandatory Canadian citizenship, non-use of Artificial Intelligence, and the like).
History in Bulgaria!
Today markes “Canada Day,” which is the national day of Canada. On this date, the EBU found it appropriate to officially announce Canada’s participation in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in a historic step that officially opens the competition to the participation of member nations located overseas.
Marie-Philippe Bouchard, the President of the Canadian national broadcaster, reacted:
“On this Canada Day, as we celebrate with Canadians around the world and in the country itself the richness and diversity of Canadian culture, we are so thrilled to confirm that we are bringing the world’s largest music event to Canadians. Our participation in Eurovision, starting next year in Bulgaria, will allow Canadian talent to perform on one of the biggest music stages in the world. It will also allow fans and enthusiasts from Canada to watch and vote in Eurovision and see their country participate in the contest!”
According to an interview with Martin Green, the Eurovision Executive Supervisor, on the “Eurotrip” podcast, if Canada wins, it will be able to host the next Eurovision on its territory, unlike Australia, which committed to transferring hosting duties to a European country. This is an incredible precedent that could actually bring about the Eurovision Song Contest taking place in broad daylight, leading to wishes of “Good night Europe, good afternoon America, and good morning Australia”.
Canada’s Connection to Eurovision
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 did not come to fruition. In the end, the Canadians abandoned the idea of establishing a separate competition and aimed for the real thing: entering the slot of “the guest from the other side of the ocean,” similar to the model of Australia joining in 2015.
The exciting storm surrounding Canada’s integration 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 the CBC to examine participation in Eurovision”. Now, Canada officially confirms its participation in Eurovision 2027.
Eurovision 2027: This will be Canada’s 1st participation in Eurovision. Canada joined the competition in 2027 and will appear for the first time next May in Bulgaria!
