In the wake of the latest developments regarding the Eurovision Song Contest and the current geopolitical global scenario, ESCToday has reached out to the EBU to shed more light on the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest deadline for broadcasters to confirm their participation without suffering a financial penalty. We bring you the latest update.
Broadcasters wishing to compete at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest have a deadline for sending in their applications to the EBU by 15th September, here after the EBU gives a grace period to the broadcasters to withdraw their applications without a financial penalty. For 2026 this deadline was initially set for October 13th, the EBU has now extended this deadline to mid December. Said decision has been taken by the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group. Hence broadcasters have been given the option to confirm their ESC 2026 participation latest by mid December.
We should expect the official list of the ESC 2026 competing countries to be published by mid/late December.
Martin Green CBE (Eurovision Director) gave ESCToday.com the following statement:
As previously announced in July, we are currently undertaking a wide-ranging consultation with our Member broadcasters around participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
While this is ongoing, we want to provide broadcasters with additional flexibility and clarity in finalizing their application to take part in next year’s event.
To facilitate this, the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group, the event’s governing body, has agreed to offer broadcasters the option to confirm their participation at the latest by mid-December.
This is simply a procedural matter and has no effect on the overall planning for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna next May.
The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 12, 14, 16 May at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria.
So far 22 countries have so confirmed their participation at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2026. More countries are expected to confirm their participation in the coming weeks and months.
