RAI, the Italian national broadcaster, has confirmed that Italy will participate at the forthcoming 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Austria next year and published the rules and regulations for Sanremo 2026.
Thus Italy joins the list of countries that have so far confirmed their participation at the 2026 Eurovision edition.
The 2026 Italian Eurovision act and entry will be yet again determined via the Italian Sanremo Song Festival as has been tradition in recent years. The winner of Sanremo 2026 will be elegible to represent Italy at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. In the event that the Sanremo winner declines the invitation to represent Italy at ESC, RAI will select the 2026 Italian ESC act.
RAI has published the rules and regulations for Sanremo 2026.
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 thrice with Gigliola Cinquetti (1964), Toto Cutugno (1990) and Maneskin (2021).
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, Mahmood 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 12 times in the top 10 of the scoreboard including a victory in 2021.
In 2025 Lucio Corsi represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with his entry ‘Volevo Essere Un Duro‘.
