The announcement came in a press release a few days ago regarding a meeting of France Télévisions’ board. Despite winning the Junior contest in Tbilisi this year, the French broadcaster will not host next year’s edition, citing budgetary reasons.
A tightening budget for 2026
The press release listed the choice not to host Junior Eurovision among other decisions that aim to balance the budget of the French public broadcaster, which has been facing diminished public funding, expecting a reduction of 65 million euros for 2026.
In order to face [reduced public funding and inflation] and to balance [France Télévisions’] profits & losses account, all the levers will be activated in 2026, through:
France Télévisions
– a new reduction of costs of the national programmation grid […]. France Télévisions also renounces the organisation of Junior Eurovision on the national territory in 2026.
This is the second time France rejects the automatic proposition to host the Junior Contest after winning it, having already done so for the 2024 Junior Contest after their second victory in a row in Nice. The last time, runner-up Spain took over with RTVE hosting the contest in Madrid.
This time, however, the runner-up is Ukraine, and the current geopolitical situation, combined with the precedent of Ukraine’s victory in the senior contest in 2022, makes it extremely unlikely that the Junior Contest could be held there. Assuming we follow the rankings, the next countries in order would be Georgia (host of 2025), Armenia (host of 2022), Spain (host of 2024 but currently boycotting the senior Contest) and Albania.
The process does not necessarily have to follow the rankings, though, and San Marino has already shown an interest in hosting next year’s edition.
Who do you think should host JESC 2026? Could it be San Marino? Tell us more in the comments below!
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