Macedonia’s national broadcaster, MRT, has stated that discussions about a potential return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026 are still ongoing.
No final decision yet
In its recently published Program Plan for 2026, MRT stated that its participation in next year’s contest “has not yet been finalised.”
“MRT’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is a matter for which MRT has not yet made a final decision. The reasons for this are multifaceted: the need for a careful assessment of production and financial possibilities, consideration of the concept for selecting the representative and the performance strategy, as well as the analysis of previous experiences.”
The broadcaster adds that its editorial board will make the decision “in accordance with the interests of the public service, the cultural promotion of the country, and the expectations of the audience.”
A possible return in 2027?
Just some weeks ago, Junior Eurovision 2008 representant Bobi Andonov expressed his desire to represent North Macedonia at Eurovision in 2026, presenting an economical plan to cover the broadcaster’s expenses, however, members of MRT’s Program Council suggested that a return in 2027 might be a more realistic goal. If the broadcaster does decide to rejoin next year, following in the footsteps of Romania and Bulgaria, significant planning and financial investment would be needed to ensure a successful comeback.
While no participation decision has been made, MRT’s Program Plan confirms that coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will still be broadcast on MRT 1 and MRT 2, with both Macedonian and Albanian-language commentary available.
North Macedonia’s Eurovision journey
The ex-Yugoslav nation made its formal debut in the Contest in 1998 with Vlado Janevski’s “Ne zori, zoro”. Performing last, North Macedonia finished 19th out of 25.
Following Kaliopi’s participation in 2012 with “Crno i Belo”, North Macedonia began a 6-year non-qualification streak. Tamara Todevska’s participation in 2019 broke the streak with her song, “Proud” – which finished in 7th place, winning the jury vote.
In 2022, Andrea represented North Macedonia, singing her song “Circles”. Andrea performed in the second semi-final, finishing in 11th place out of 16. In total, Andrea received 76 points.
Would you like to see North Macedonia returning? 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: MRT
Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU
Euan T 
Giwrgos Oiko