Just two days after RTVE revealed that 870 songs were submitted for Benidorm Fest 2026, Spain’s new Head of Delegation for Eurovision and co-director of the festival, César Vallejo, has confirmed the release date of the competing entries.
Artists to be revealed earlier in October
Speaking at the OGAE Spain convention, Vallejo confirmed that the chosen entries will be presented on Wednesday, December 18, while the list of competing artists is set to be announced in the first half of October, though the exact date is still unknown.
RTVE has not yet revealed how the songs will be presented, though in previous years, the broadcaster introduced the entries through a press event at Prado del Rey studios in Madrid, where journalists met the chosen artists.
Structure and stage updates
Benidorm Fest 2026 will keep its two semi-finals and one grand final format. The stage will feature a pentagonal design inspired by the rose of the winds, with LED panels and expanded capacity. RTVE also aims to continue shaping Benidorm Fest as an independent music event.
Even if Spain ultimately decides not to take part in Eurovision 2026 due to the ongoing discussions about Israel’s participation, Benidorm Fest will still go ahead as a standalone celebration of Spanish music.
Spain’s Eurovision journey
Spain debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 with Conchita Bautista’s “Estando Contigo”. The country earned its first win in 1968 with Massiel’s “La La La”, and won again in 1969 with Salome’s “Vivo Cantando” in an infamous four-way tie. Although they have yet to win again, Spain earned several 2nd place finishes, most famously with Mocedades’ “Eres tu” in 1973 and Anabel Conde’s “Vuelve conmigo” in 1996.
In 2025, Spain selected Melody. As part of the Big 5, she did not need to qualify for the Grand Final from the semi-finals. At the close of voting, her song “Esa Diva” finished 24th, with a total of 37 points. Of these, 27 points came from the jury, whilst 10 came from the televote.
What do you think? 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: ESC Plus
Photo credits: Corinne Cumming / EBU
Euan T 
Rory Gannon