AGRIDOCE draw a line: Festival da Canção finalists say they would not go to Eurovision 2026 if they win
Portugal’s national final has barely had time to settle, and it’s already carrying more weight than just a trophy and a ticket to Vienna.
AGRIDOCE, one of the competing acts at Festival da Canção 2026, have announced that they would not represent Portugal at Eurovision 2026 if they were to win. The trio made the decision public this afternoon via social media, putting an end to days of speculation around their stance.
Their message is direct, but not impulsive. If the current circumstances remain unchanged, they say, they will not participate in the international contest.
A decision taken together, not rushed
AGRIDOCE, formed by Joana Banza, Margarida Castanheira and Sofia Jorge, had previously said they would only decide after the national final. They now explain why it took time.
According to their statement, the trio felt it was essential to reach a shared position without pressure or haste. This was not a last-minute reaction, but a conversation they wanted to finish properly before speaking publicly.
That tone matters. This isn’t framed as a dramatic gesture or a call for attention. It’s presented as a collective decision, reached slowly and deliberately.
“The reality remains unchanged”
At the heart of the statement is their criticism of Israel’s continued participation in Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
AGRIDOCE argue that Israel continues to act “without consequences proportional to the gravity of the humanitarian situation” currently unfolding, and that the international community, by extension, continues to tolerate it. In their view, Eurovision becomes part of that normalisation.
Their position places them alongside a growing number of artists across Europe who have publicly stated they would boycott the contest if Israel remains involved.
What this means for Festival da Canção
Portugal’s national final has always been a space where political and ethical questions occasionally surface, but rarely this explicitly. AGRIDOCE’s announcement introduces a scenario that is uncomfortable for broadcasters and fans alike: a potential winner who would refuse the prize.
For now, the trio remain competitors like any other. Their participation in Festival da Canção 2026 continues. What changes is the meaning of victory itself.
Winning, in this case, would not automatically lead to Eurovision. And that challenges one of the contest’s most basic assumptions.
A wider pattern, not an isolated case
What’s happening with AGRIDOCE is not unique, and that’s precisely why it matters. Eurovision 2026 is shaping up to be an edition where artists are increasingly unwilling to separate music from context.
Some will agree with the boycott. Others will reject it. But pretending this is just noise on social media is no longer an option.
For AGRIDOCE, the line is clear.
If nothing changes, they won’t cross it.
And Portugal, like many other countries this season, may soon have to decide what matters more: the contest as it is, or the principles some artists refuse to leave at the door.
Sources: ESC Portugal/ Instagram
