| Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 | |
|---|---|
| United by Music [1] | |
 | |
| Date and venue | |
| Final |
|
| Organisation | |
| Organiser | European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |
| Executive supervisor | Gert Kark [2] |
| Participants (provisional; as of March 2026 [update] ) | |
| Intend on participating | 6 |
| |
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is set to be the 24th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. It will be organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the national broadcaster of the designated host country. [3]
Unlike the Eurovision Song Contest, the winning broadcaster of the previous year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest does not automatically receive the right to host the next edition. However, since 2011 (with the exceptions of 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2024) it has become customary for winners to take on hosting duties, and since 2019, the winning broadcaster has had the right of first refusal on hosting the following competition. On 18 December 2025, French broadcaster France Télévisions , which won the 2025 contest, announced that it had opted not to host in 2026, citing a plan to reduce the costs of national programming; [4] this marked its second refusal to stage the event in a three-year span, having also done so in 2024. [5]
A bidding phase was reportedly held for the first time since 2018 in order to identify the host country. [6] In December 2025, Sammarinese broadcaster SMRTV announced that it would submit a bid to host the event; [7] however, on 7 March 2026, its director Roberto Sergio stated that the bid had not been selected and that the contest would be held in North Macedonia. An official confirmation is pending. [8]
Eligibility for participation in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active EBU membership capable of receiving the contest via the Eurovision network and broadcasting the contest live nationwide. The EBU issues an invitation to participate in the contest to all active members.
As of February 2026, broadcasters from the following countries have publicly confirmed their intent to participate in the 2026 contest:
| Country | Broadcaster | Artist | Song | Language | Songwriter(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Georgia | GPB | [9] [10] | ||||
 Ireland | TG4 | [11] [12] | ||||
 Netherlands | AVROTROS | [13] [14] | ||||
 North Macedonia | MRT | [15] [16] | ||||
 Poland | TVP | [17] [18] | ||||
 Portugal | RTP | [19] |
San Marino –Sammarinese broadcaster SMRTV had bid to host the event but was not selected. [20] [21] An official confirmation of participation is pending.
Spain –In February 2026, Benidorm councilor for events Jesús Carrobles announced that the municipality had proposed the creation of a new selection format for the contest based on Benidorm Fest to RTVE. [22] An official confirmation of participation on RTVE's part is pending.Active EBU member broadcasters in Austria, [23] Belgium (VRT), [24] Czechia, [25] Denmark, [26] Finland, [27] Germany, [28] Iceland, [29] Luxembourg, [30] Norway, [31] Slovenia, [32] Sweden [33] and Wales [34] have confirmed non-participation prior to the announcement of the participants list by the EBU. Meanwhile broadcasters in Croatia and Estonia are examining whether they would participate in 2026. [35]
The winner will go on to represent Ireland at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
Со континуираното учество на МРТ на Јуниорскиот Евросонг, се гради и трајна едукативна платформа, преку која децата учат за тимска работа, сценска дисциплина, културна разноликост и медиумска одговорност. Оваа манифестација е многу повеќе од натпревар – таа е инвестиција во младите генерации и нивниот културен и уметнички развој.[With the continued participation of MRT in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, a permanent educational platform is being built, through which children learn about teamwork, stage discipline, cultural diversity and media responsibility. This event is much more than a competition – it is an investment in the young generations and their cultural and artistic development.]
O prémio a atribuir ao vencedor do The Voice Kids 2026 será a participação no Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026/Festival Eurovisão da Canção Júnior 2026, na qualidade de representante de Portugal.[The prize to be awarded to the winner of The Voice Kids 2026 will be participation in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026, as a representative of Portugal.]
W tej chwili udział Luksemburga w Eurowizji jest naszym głównym priorytetem i nie planujemy udziału w Eurowizji Junior.[At the moment, Luxembourg's participation in Eurovision is our main priority and we do not plan to participate in Junior Eurovision.]
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