Italy’s public broadcaster RAI and the City of Sanremo reached an agreement to stage the 76th Festival di Sanremo from Feb. 24–28, 2026, at the Teatro Ariston, concluding months of negotiations launched after court rulings ended the city’s practice of directly awarding the event to RAI.
The agreement follows a public tender covering the 2026–2028 editions, with the option to extend. RAI was the only bidder. The tender provides the municipality at least €6.5 million and no less than 1% of advertising revenue, and includes a clause allowing the city to terminate the partnership if ratings fall 15 points below the average of the prior five editions.
The deal resolves a dispute over branding and television rights. The city holds the Festival della Canzone Italiana trademark, while RAI controls the television format.
The legal process began when the TAR Liguria in December 2024 ruled that direct awards to RAI were unlawful; the Council of State upheld that decision on May 29, 2025, requiring an open procedure. A separate challenge to the new tender is pending, with a TAR Liguria hearing set for Oct. 17, 2025.
Carlo Conti will return as host and artistic director in 2026, part of a two-year mandate announced in May 2024. RAI has not released the 2026 regulations; in 2025, emerging artists qualified via a December television selection, and the festival ran for five nights at the Ariston.
RaiNews said the tender requires formal approvals, including a board review, before final administrative steps are completed.
