Italy’s national broadcaster RAI has officially confirmed the dates for the 76th edition of Festival di Sanremo. The 2026 edition will take place from Tuesday 24th to Saturday 28th February – a scheduling decision made to avoid conflict with the Winter Olympics Milano-Cortina 2026, which will run from 2nd to 22nd February. Carlo Conti returns as both presenter and artistic director.
Why are the dates are moved?
RAI, which holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for both Sanremo 2026 and the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, has made the strategic decision to reschedule Sanremo to the end of February. This adjustment enables each event to receive its own focused media coverage, thereby avoiding the complications of overlapping broadcasts. By separating the two major productions, RAI ensures optimal viewership, smooth logistical planning, and maximum exposure for both the festival and the Olympic Games.
Sanremo 2026 – and beyond – cannot do without RAI
As in previous years, the winner of Sanremo will have the right of first refusal to represent Italy at Eurovision 2026, which will be held in Austria. In 2025, Olly declined the offer, and Lucio Corsi was selected instead.
The green light has been given to launch the tender process for organizing the Sanremo festival. The Council of State has officially settled the dispute surrounding the management of Italy’s most iconic music festival for the 2026–2028 period, dismissing all appeals, including those filed by RAI and the municipality of Sanremo.
Italy’s Eurovision journey
Italy has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since the very beginning and has always been considered a powerhouse in the contest. The country has won the competition on three occasions in 1964, 1990 and 2021. Italy withdrew after 1997, returning in 2011 with Raphael Gualazzi, who sang ‘Madness Of Love’. Raphael placed second in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest after scoring 189 points.
Italy’s most recent entry in 2025 was “Volevo essere un duro” by Lucio Corsi. At the close of voting, Italy scored a total of 256 points in the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final, placing 5th. Of these, 159 points came from the juries, whilst the remaining 97 points came from the televote.
What do you think about the new Sanremo dates? Could it influence Italy’s Eurovision 2026 journey? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News Source: Quotidiano
Photo Credit: Christian Mariani / Quotidiano
Tetiana Viznytsia 
Tim J 
Euan T
Always in love with Italian entries! 🇮🇹