CBC/Radio-Canada and the EBU announced today that Canada will debut at the Eurovision Song Contest next year in Bulgaria.
🇨🇦 From budget leaks to an official announcement
At the end of 2025, rumours arose of Canada’s potential participation, after the official government’s budget paper revealed that national broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada was exploring the idea of participating in Eurovision. The idea was confirmed by the Finance Minister, who stated that it was the EBU who asked Canada to take part. As we all know, nothing of the sort happened in time for the 2026 contest though.
But in June 2026, the EBU General Assembly convened and rewrote the rules regarding membership, allowing broadcasters from countries outside the European Broadcasting Area to join the organisation as full members. During the same assembly, CBC/Radio-Canada was accepted as a full member, which implies an access to the Eurovision news network, and eligibility to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest.
It only took a few days for that last step to be taken, with an official announcement coming today from both the EBU and the broadcaster. This makes Canada the first debuting country in more than a decade, after Australia’s participation in 2015.
An announcement on Canada Day
The announcement came on Canada Day, and was commented by the CEO of the national broadcaster, and by the Eurovision Song Contest’s Director, Martin Green.
On this Canada Day, as we celebrate with Canadians across the country and around the world the richness and diversity of Canadian culture, we’re so excited to confirm that we’re bringing the world’s largest live music event to Canadians.
Marie-Philippe Bouchard, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada
Our participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, starting next year in Bulgaria, will allow Canadian talent to be showcased on one of the most storied music stages in the world. It will also allow fans in Canada to continue watching and voting in the Song Contest, as they have done for years — with the added thrill of seeing their own country represented on the Eurovision stage.
We are absolutely delighted to welcome CBC/Radio-Canada to the Eurovision Song Contest family — a further sign that, while born in Europe, the Contest continues to welcome the world.
Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contets
“Canada has a proud and memorable connection to the Contest, with Canadian artists, not least 1988 winner Céline Dion, having taken to our stage many times leaving a lasting mark on audiences around the world. With CBC/Radio-Canada now able to participate in the Contest as a full EBU Member, we look forward to seeing Canada bring its own voice, creativity, and energy to the Eurovision Song Contest stage in Bulgaria in 2027.”
Canada’s history with Eurovision
Only last year, Canada was the country with the third largets number of “Rest of the World” votes, behind the USA and the Netherlands. But Canada’s history with the contest goes back decades, with many singers and songwriters taking part for other countries.
The most famous one is obviously Céline Dion, who won the Contest in 1988 for Switzerland, a victory that was celebrated again in Basel last year. That same year, Lara Fabian represented Luxembourg and finished 4th. Other Canadian artists represented these French-speaking countries (Sherisse Laurence for Luxembourg 1986, Annie Cotton for Switzerland 1993, Rykka for Switzerland too in 2016), as well as France (Natasha St-Pier in 2001, and La Zarra in 2023) and other countries like Greece (with Katerine Duska in 2019), Malta (Debbie Scarri, 1997) and even Austria with Gary Lux, a legend of Eurovision (singer for Hurricane in 1983, then as a solo artist in 1985 and 1987, while also being a backing vocalist in 1984, 1993 and 1995).
