RTP, the Portuguese national broadcaster has confirmed to ESCToday that it will air the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest shows live from Stockholm.

Unfortunately Portugal will not compete at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest. RTP decided to stay out of the competition this year last October, but intends to return to the contest in 2017.

In 2015 Portugal selected its Eurovision entry and act for Vienna via its traditional Eurovision national selection Festival da Cançao. Leonor Andrade represented Portugal at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest with her Há um Mar que nos Separa. Despite a great performance she failed to qualify to the grand final.

Portugal debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964 and is yet to win the event. The country’s best result in the competition was achieved in 1996 when  Lucia Muniz placed 6th with her entry O meu coraçao na tem cor.