RTBF, the French speaking Belgian national broadcaster, has announced today that Belgium will participate at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna.
RTBF has made its decision, Belgium will compete at the ESC 2026.
Thus Belgium joins the list of countries who have so far confirmed their participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
The deadline for broadcasters to confirm their participation at the ESC 2026 is looming, as it has been set for the 10th December.
In Belgium the Eurovision Song Contest participation is alternated between RTBF and VRT every year, hence both the French speaking and Flemish speaking broadcasters compete at the ESC alternately. For 2026 it is RTBF’s turn to compete and determine the Belgian entry and act.
The official list of the ESC 2026 competing countries will be published by the EBU before Christmas.
Jean-Paul Philippot (RTBF CEO) says:
Our participation is therefore accompanied by a clear stance to denounce the obstacles to the freedom of information, to demand the protection of all citizens and journalists, and to guarantee their safe presence on the ground. Because culture is never entertainment detached from reality. Because the public service has a duty to remain faithful to humanity, editorial independence, and freedom.
The Eurovision Song Contest is one of those unique spaces where diversity, inclusion, and artistic freedom converge. Participating in Eurovision in 2026 cannot be done without looking at the world as it is, and without remembering that the duty to inform must be carried out with complete independence; that of giving citizens the tools to understand the issues facing the world is an essential democratic foundation.
RTBF’s press release reads:
Following lengthy debates yesterday at the EBU, RTBF acknowledged and supports the new rules that strengthen the competition framework. However, like VRT, it believes that more needs to be done than these new measures proposed by the EBU to address the concerns raised. The aim is to send clear signals regarding the situation in Gaza, particularly concerning the protection of citizens and journalists and press access to the area.
In parallel and following the opinions expressed, the EBU decided to set up a task force to make concrete progress on these issues.
VRT, for its part, will broadcast the event but with some restrictions
Belgium in Eurovision
Belgium is one of the founding members of the Eurovision Song Contest having debuted in 1956. The country has won the competition once in 1986 with Sandra Kim.
In 2025 Red Sebastian defended the Belgian colours at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel with his entry ‘ Strobe Lights‘.
