🇵🇹 Portugal confirms participation for the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest

With the deadline for broadcasters to confirm their participation fast approaching, the final number of countries are now beginning to confirm their participation, or reveal their plans.

One of the countries in this position is Portugal, who has confirmed their participation for the contest, via the opening of submissions for their national final ‘Festival da Canção’.

The continuation of the tradition means that Elisa will not be internally selected to represent Portugal at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, after winning the right to do so in 2020.

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O Festival da Canção 2021 dá os primeiros passos com a seleção dos autores que irão criar as canções da edição do próximo ano. A @rtppt mantém o modelo adotado nas últimas edições, mas contará em 2021 com a participação de 20 autores: 18 por convite direto e 2 por submissão de propostas. O vencedor irá representar Portugal no Festival Eurovisão da Canção 2021 (@eurovision 2021), que terá lugar nos Países Baixos, em maio de 2021. À livre submissão de canções poderão concorrer todos os cidadãos de nacionalidade portuguesa ou residentes no nosso país que tenham ou não trabalhos publicados, incluindo, mas sem limitar, os portugueses que vivem fora de Portugal, bem como cidadãos de outras nacionalidades que residam em Portugal. A submissão das candidaturas deverá ser efetuada através do envio de maquetas para o email: [email protected], com prazo limite de dia 25 de novembro de 2020. Regulamento e toda a informação disponível em rtp.pt/festivaldacancao. #festivaldacancao #rtp

A post shared by Festival da Canção (@festivaldacancao.rtp) on Oct 16, 2020 at 10:08am PDT

Submissions open until November 25

RTP has now opened submissions for entries for the competition, and will close on the 25th November 2020. 20 entries will be competing for the 2021 edition of the competition, RTP will select 18 entries through invitation, whilst the remaining two entries will be selected from those submitted.

For those interested in submitting entries, you are able to find the rules and regulations by clicking right here.

At the time of writing, RTP is yet to confirm when the 2021 edition of ‘Festival da Canção’ will take place.

Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest

Portugal was once seen as one of the most unlucky Eurovision countries, holding the record for the longest period of participation without a win (49 attempts). Of course, this ‘curse’ was broken in 2017 when Salvador Sobral won the contest with “Amar Pelos Dois”. Not only was this their first win, but it was also their first and only top 5 placing in the contest to date. 

In 2020, Portugal was set to be represented by Elisa with her song ‘Medo de Sentir’. Unfortunately, the 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are you happy that Portugal will be joining the party in Rotterdam? Who do you want to see represent Portugal next year?  Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to see our reactions to the news in the upcoming months.