RTP, the Portuguese national broadcaster, has kicked off preparations for the 2019 Portuguese national selection- Festival da Canção and published the rules and regulations of the competition.

The Portuguese broadcaster confirmed its participation at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv and has revealed more details and information  regarding its national selection.

Festival da Canção 2019

The 2019 FdC will consist of three shows ( two semi-finals and a grand final) scheduled to be held next February and March. The 2019 FdC host cities and dates are yet to be confirmed.

A total of 16 acts will battle for the golden ticket to Tel Aviv, 8 acts will compete in each semi-final, the top 4 entries from each semi-final will proceed to the Grand Final of FdC.  Hence 8 acts will fight for the right to represent Portugal at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in the Portuguese national final.

RTP has extended an invite to 14 composers to submit their songs for the competition, the composers will be free to chose the artist/s for their respective songs.

Whilst the remaining 2 entries will be selected via an open public selection via two different mechanisms:

• Master Class competition via Antena 1 Radio open to composers with no published material (31 October deadline for submission).
• Open submission for everyone. Composers interested to enter the competition can send their songs to to RTP via festival219@rtp until 31 October 2018. Portuguese citizens/ residents in Portugal are eligible tp apply.

Portugal in Eurovision

Portugal joined the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964 and has won the competition once, namely in 2017 with Salvador Sobral‘s Amor pelo dois. The following year the country successfully hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in its majestic capital Lisbon.

The Portuguese have partaken a total of 50 times in the competition.

In 2018 Claudia  Pascoal & Isaura won Festival da Cançao and flew the Portuguese flag at the Eurovision Song Contest on home soil with their entry O Jardim. Despite a beautiful peformace the Portugal finished last in the Grand Final.