Happy September 1st: Eurovision 2027 Season Officially Begins

The Eurovision Song Contest marks a key milestone today on the road to the grand final, scheduled for May in Burgas. After revealing the host city for Eurovision 2027, the season is now official: today, September 1st, signals the start of the 71st edition’s contest cycle. As per contest regulations, any song aired on radio, released on albums, or distributed on streaming platforms from now on becomes eligible for consideration by artists seeking to represent their countries.

Two nations have officially confirmed they will not return to the stage:

• Monaco

• Slovakia

Several national broadcasters remain in a state of deliberation regarding their plans:

• Belgium: Flemish national broadcaster VRT previously indicated that participation this year was unlikely due to Israel’s involvement, though no official statement has been released.

• Czechia: Proposed changes to the financing model at Czech national broadcaster ČT could trigger unprecedented budget cuts, directly impacting the country’s presence at the event.

• Azerbaijan: The Azerbaijani government is evaluating a complete withdrawal from the Council of Europe—a status tied closely to EBU membership criteria.

• Moldova: Following scoring controversies during the 2027 cycle, leadership at the national broadcaster is undergoing significant restructuring, leaving its ultimate decision uncertain.

• Kazakhstan: Kazakh decision-makers are weighing a potential entry this year, though an official invitation from the EBU remains required.

• Hungary: Domestic discussions regarding a return have intensified following political shifts in the country, eight years after its last appearance.

A distinct group of broadcasters are actively stepping back or weighing withdrawal:

• Netherlands: Dutch national broadcaster AVROTROS officially announced it will not return to the competition. However, discussions involving the EBU and local entities are underway to explore whether another domestic national broadcaster could step into the role.

• Iceland: Icelandic national broadcaster RÚV has yet to make a final determination, with an official announcement expected shortly.

• Spain: Responding to media inquiries about prospective dialogue regarding a future comeback, RTVE manager Sergio Calderón stated, “Starting May 17th (the day after the Eurovision final), we will see if the conditions for future participation are met.”

• Slovenia: The communications department at Slovenian national broadcaster RTV SLO confirmed that the nation’s involvement is currently undergoing serious re-evaluation.

• Ireland: The Irish national broadcaster has not finalized its decision, though internal calls for a boycott persist over Israel’s ongoing participation.

When will each country select its Eurovision song?

In the coming weeks, participating nations will release more details about their selection processes for Eurovision 2027 alongside anticipated additional participation confirmations. Information on selection methods (national finals or internal selections), rules, and timetables will be unveiled soon.

Albania is expected to hold the season’s first national selection in December, but the Albanian national broadcaster has yet to publish details. The complete list of participating countries will be finalized in the coming months.

• January 30th: Luxembourg

• February 6th: Latvia

• February 13th: Denmark

• February 19th: Italy

• February 20th: Finland

• March 6th: San Marino

• March 13th: Sweden

Eurovision 2027: The 71st Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Bulgaria, following the country’s historic win with the song “BAGARANGA” performed by DARA. This will be the first time the contest is hosted in Bulgaria.