Albania Confirms Eurovision 2026 Return — and Yes, Festivali i Këngës is Probably Back Too
The land of eagles, raki, and fearless ballads is packing its bags once again for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Albania’s national broadcaster, RTSH, has officially confirmed that the country will participate in the 70th edition of the world’s glitziest song competition — this time, hosted in Austria.
While RTSH has yet to spill the beans on how it plans to choose its representative, we wouldn’t bet our last litre of byrek grease on a surprise. Since 2004, the country has consistently selected its Eurovision entry via the long-standing music festival Festivali i Këngës — a winter staple full of drama, diva vocals, and the occasional surreal staging moment that Twitter can’t stop replaying.
Eurovision 2025: A Fiery Eighth Place for Albania
In case you’ve forgotten amid all the glitter and geopolitical chaos, Albania placed a rather respectable 8th at Eurovision 2025 in Basel. Their representatives, the electro-folk duo Shkodra Elektronike, ignited the stage with the track «Zjerm»(that’s “fire” in Albanian — subtle, right?), earning 218 points, including top marks from both the French jury and the televoters in Greece and Montenegro. Très chic, and a bit Balkan too.
What’s Next for Albania in Eurovision 2026?
If tradition holds, Festivali i Këngës will return later this year, likely around December, bringing with it a cast of hopefuls ranging from respected veterans to TikTok-famous teens with synthesizers. Expect ballads, key changes, and a fair amount of social media discourse.
While RTSH hasn’t confirmed the format (could we finally get a televote-only winner?), fans are already speculating on who could be next to wave the red-and-black flag on the Eurovision stage.
One thing’s for sure: Albania never plays it safe. Whether it’s a heart-wrenching ballad or a genre-defying explosion of sound and attitude, the country brings passion, unpredictability, and just the right amount of chaos.
Will Albania go even higher in 2026?
It’s still early days, but with momentum on their side and a growing Eurovision fanbase at home and abroad, Albania could be eyeing a podium finish — or at the very least, another scorcher of a performance that sets the internet ablaze.
Source: EscToday
