TRM, the Moldovan national broadcaster, has announced that the Eurovision 2016 Ukrainian winner Jamala and Paula Seling the 2010 and 2014 Romanian representative will be gracing the forthcoming Moldovan national final as special guests.
Moldova is back at the Eurovision Song Contest after a year’s absence. The country is gearing up in full steam for Eurovision 2026 with a full fledged national final scheduled to be held on Saturday 17th January at the Chisinau Arena in Chisinau. A total of 16 acts will be battling for the golden ticket to Vienna. The 2026 Moldovan entry will be determined via a combined international jury (15 members), national jury (5 members) and public voting deliberation.
Jamala (Ukraine 2016/ESC winner) and two time Romanian representative Paula Seling will be the international guests at Finala Nationala 2026. A grand line up of of former Moldovan Eurovision acts will be also gracing the event: Zdob și Zdub , SunStroke Project , DoReDoSm, Cristina Scarlat etc.
Moldova in Eurovision
Moldova debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005 with Zdob si Zdub and is yet to win the event. The country achieved its best result in the competition in 2017 when Sunstroke Project placed 3rd in the Grand Final in Kyiv with their entry Hey Mamma!
Moldova has been competing in religiously every year in Europe’s favourite television show since their debut in 2005, namely the country has partaken in the contest 19 times. In 2025 the country withdrew from the contest after having confirmed its participation and organizing a national selection.
In 2024 Natalia Barbu represented Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo with her entry ‘In The Middle’.
