RTP is working full steam for the upcoming Eurovision season, after announcing the 2018 Eurovision host city the Portuguese national broadcaster has revealed the name of the city which will host their annual Eurovision national selection – Festival da Canção.

Pavilhão Multiusos in Guimarães

The 2018 Festival da Canção will be held at the Pavilhão Multiusos in Guimarães, north of Portugal next March. Guimarães was amongst the candidate cities bidding to host the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. The venue can accommodate circa 8,000 spectators. The exact dates of the Portuguese national selection and final are yet to be confirmed by RTP.

[UPD] Local media are reporting that the Grand Final of Festival da Cançao will be held on Saturday 4 March in Guimaraes.

The 2018 Eurovision selection will consist of 3 shows; 2 semi-finals and 1 grand final.

A total of 20 songs will compete in Festival da Cançao 2018, 10 in each semi-final. 5 songs from each semi-final will qualify to the Grand Final. The 2018 Eurovision entry will be determined by a public televoting/jury deliberation.

The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Lisbon, Portugal next May.


Sanjay (Sergio) joined esctoday.com in December 2006 as an editor. He was appointed as the Head of Press of ESCToday.com in 2011. Hereafter in 2016 he was promoted as the Head of International Relations & Communications at ESCToday. Sergio has covered the Eurovision Song Contest live 22 times since 2000, having worked for several international magazines and media outlets.