Festivali i Këngës 64 sets its finalists: Albania narrows the field, drama included

After two competitive nights and a Nostalgia Night designed to gently remind everyone that Festivali i Këngës is older than half the Eurovision fandom, Albania has its finalists. Festivali i Këngës 64 has officially locked in the acts that will fight it out for the ticket to Eurovision, and the line-up is… busy. In the best possible Albanian way.

A professional jury had the final word, trimming the field down to a mix of established voices, returning favourites, left-field entries and a few songs that quietly grew on people somewhere between the second chorus and the third espresso of the evening.

No televote drama yet. That comes later.

The finalists of Festivali i Këngës 64

Here are the acts still standing after the jury’s verdict:

• Rigersa Loka – “Albanian Heart”
• Lorenc Hasrama – “Lamtumirë”
• Sara Kapo – “Të dua shumë”
• Sheila – “Zemra e Tokës”
• Kleansa Susaj – “Hije”
• Gresa Gjocera & Bledi Kaso – “Busulla e zemrës”
• Ghiti – “Okej!”
• Lynx – “Nuk kthehem pas”
• Inis Neziri – “Ta kam fal”
• Alis – “Nân”
• Enxhi Nasufi – “Dritë”
• Rezarta Smaja – “Balukeprera”
• Savjana Vjerdha – “Dimër për dimër e vjeshtë për vjeshtë”
• 2Farm – “Valle mbi hi”
• Greta Mahmutaj – “Në krahët e tu”
• Luna Çausholli – “Pa kufij”
• Erik Lloshi – “Dy pika dashuri”
• Frensi – “Tresh”
• Vedat Ademi – “Kur fjala mbaron”
• Kamela Islamaj – “Pa pretendime”
• Endri Kaçaçi – “Si unë”
• Fifi & Tiri Gjoci – “Rri”
• Evi Reçi – “Kodi i jetës”

That’s 23 finalists, which in FiK terms means long nights, emotional speeches and at least one result that will cause debates lasting until Easter.

How the winner will be decided

The final result will be a carefully calibrated balancing act, very much in line with modern FiK strategy:

• 50% professional jury
• 25% televoting in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia
• 25% international online voting

The online vote will run via the official FiK app, which also offers a livestream of the shows with subtitles in Albanian and English. Because Albania knows its audience now, and it’s not pretending otherwise.

One winner, one destination: Vienna

When all votes are counted, one of these artists will go on to represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, set to take place in Vienna.

As ever with Festivali i Këngës, the question isn’t just who will win, but what kind of Albania will Eurovision get this time: classic, experimental, introspective, dramatic, or quietly brilliant in a way that only reveals itself on second listen.

Whatever happens, FiK 64 has done its job.
The conversation has started. And Albania, once again, is wide awake.