Portugal’s Eurovision 2026 Plans Shake as Festival da Canção Artists Push Back

Portugal thought the matter was settled. RTP had confirmed the country would head to Vienna in 2026, and that was supposed to be the end of it. Except it wasn’t.
Because twelve of the sixteen acts competing in Festival da Canção have now said that, even if they win the national final, they will not represent Portugal at Eurovision while Israel remains in the line-up.

Their joint statement, released on 10 December, doesn’t dance around the issue. It calls on RTP to rethink its position and questions the EBU’s decision-making in fairly direct terms.

“Rules for some, not for others”

The artists point to something many fans have been saying quietly for months: the EBU removed Russia from Eurovision in 2022 without hesitation. That set a precedent. And now, faced with allegations of genocide in Gaza backed by the UN, the same organisation has allowed Israel to remain.

To make matters worse, at the General Assembly last week 738 delegates backed the new voting rules while avoiding any vote on Israel’s participation. RTP was part of that majority, which has not gone unnoticed.

Artists who simply won’t go

The twelve signatories cover a wide slice of Portugal’s music scene: established names, well-known bands, newcomers with strong followings. It’s not a fringe protest; it’s most of the competition.

Their message is surprisingly direct for such a traditionally polite contest:

“Silence makes us complicit. We won’t be part of that.”

They make it clear that winning Festival da Canção no longer implies a trip to Eurovision automatically. Not this year.

Public pressure piling up

Outside the industry, the situation is no calmer. More than 15,000 Portuguese viewers have already signed petitions urging RTP to withdraw from Eurovision entirely. The tone is increasingly sharp, accusing the broadcaster of placing Portugal “on the wrong side of history”.

Sobral steps in — and others follow

When Salvador Sobral speaks, people listen, whether they want to or not. The 2017 winner has called RTP’s position “political cowardice” and suggested a rather radical workaround:

“Festival da Canção should still take place. But the winner doesn’t have to go to Eurovision.”

RTP stays firm, at least officially

For now, RTP insists Portugal will take part in Eurovision 2026.
The broadcaster says it understands the artists’ concerns but maintains that the contest will go ahead, and that Portugal intends to join “like the overwhelming majority of EBU members”.

That position creates a strange and unprecedented scenario:
Portugal might hold a national final where the winner refuses the ticket to Eurovision.

A logistical nightmare waiting to happen — and a cultural headache for a festival built on tradition, pride and continuity.

For the moment, everyone is still talking. But it’s hard to see how this ends without someone climbing down.

Sources: ESC Portugal/ Sic