San Marino confirms return of its Song Contest — and doubles down with Eurovision-style semifinals
After the success of its 2025 edition, San Marino RTV has officially announced the return of the San Marino Song Contest (SMSC) for 2026 — and this time, the tiny republic is thinking big.
The grand final will take place on Saturday, 7 March 2026, at the Teatro Nuovo di Dogana, broadcast live on San Marino RTV and Radio San Marino. The winner will go on to represent San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, held in Vienna, Austria, from 12 to 16 May.
A format worthy of Eurovision itself
In true Eurovision spirit, the new edition will feature two live semifinals — on 3 and 4 March 2026 — before the grand final. Each semifinal will see 20 contestants competing for a place in the final, mirroring the structure of the international contest itself.
All participants will come from Dreaming San Marino Song Contest, the talent pipeline organised by Media Evolution, which serves as a pre-selection stage for artists hoping to reach Vienna.
From these rounds, 10 emerging artists will qualify for the final, joining 10 established acts in the battle for the golden ticket to Eurovision.
The winning team returns
San Marino RTV’s Director General Roberto Sergio confirmed that the 2025 creative team will remain in place, maintaining the same high production standards that made last year’s event a surprise hit across Europe.
The artistic direction will once again be led by Massimo Bonelli, with Cristiano D’Alisera returning as director, Marco Lucarelli as director of photography, and Marco Calzavara as set designer. The production continues in collaboration with Media Evolution Srl and under the patronage of the Secretariat of State for Tourism.
In other words — if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
Small country, big ambitions
San Marino’s evolving national selection has earned praise for its professionalism and its international approach. After years of experimenting with different formats, the republic seems to have found its groove — one that blends Eurovision glamour with Sanmarinese precision.
With 2025’s contest drawing strong engagement online and record interest from European artists, all eyes will now turn to Dogana this March to see who will carry the microstate’s flag to Vienna.
