RAI, the Italian national broadcaster, has confirmed that Italy will be selecting its Eurovision 2019 act and entry once more via its traditional song festival Sanremo.

The Italian national broadcaster has published the rules and regulations for the upcoming 2019 Sanremo Song Festival.

The winner of Sanremo 2019 will be eligible to represent Italy at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv. If the winner declines to go to Eurovision, the decision to deliberate the 2019 Italian Eurovision representative will lie in the hands  of RAI and the Sanremo organizers.

The winning artist of the 69th Sanremo Italian Song Festival will be able to represent Italy at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, at the request of RAI.  If the above mentioned artist does not intend to make use of this option, RAI and the organizers of the festival reserve the right to choose the Italian Eurovision participant according to their own criteria.

The 2019 Sanremo  Song Festival will be running from 05-09 February with the Grand Finale scheduled to be held on Saturday 9 February. The coveted song festival will be held once again at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo.

A total of 24 acts are set to partake at the upcoming 2019 Sanremo Song Festival.

Italy in Eurovision

Italy is one of the founder members of the Eurovision Song Contest having debuted in the very first contest in 1956. The country has won the event twice with Gigliola Cinquetti (1964)and Toto Cutugno (1990).

The country has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest by its most celebrated and internationally acclaimed artists throughout its Eurovision history: Ana Oxa, Domenico Modugno, Albano, Romina Power, Franco Batiatto, Umberto Tozzi, Matia Bazar, Marco Mengoni, Emma Marrone, Il Volo, Francesco Gabbani, Raphael Gualazzi, Massimo Ranieri, Ricardo Fogli, etc.

Italy withdrew from the competition in 1998 and returned to Eurovision in 2011 after a 13 year hiatus. Since their return to the contest the Italians have enjoyed great success in the event placing 6 times in the top 10 of the scoreboard.

Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro were crowned the winners of Sanremo 2018 and won the right to represent Italy at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with their entry Non mi avette fatto niente. The duo achieved an honorable 5th place in the Grand Final.