Belgium’s Walloon broadcaster, RTBF, has officially confirmed that the country will participate in Eurovision 2026, which is set to take place in Austria. It comes following the General Assembly which took place in Geneva on Thursday (December 4th).
RTBF
Following the General Assembly, Wallonian broadcaster RTBF confirmed that Belgium would participate. VRT will also show the competition, although the broadcaster said there would be “restrictions” on its coverage.
Director-General of RTBF Jean-Paul Philippot said:
Our participation is therefore accompanied by a clear stance to denounce the obstacles to the freedom of information, to demand the protection of all citizens and journalists, and to guarantee their safe presence on the ground. Because culture is never entertainment detached from reality. Because the public service has a duty to remain faithful to humanity, editorial independence, and freedom.
The Eurovision Song Contest is one of those unique spaces where diversity, inclusion, and artistic freedom converge. Participating in Eurovision in 2026 cannot be done without looking at the world as it is, and without remembering that the duty to inform must be carried out with complete independence; that of giving citizens the tools to understand the issues facing the world is an essential democratic foundation.
Earlier, it was revealed that VRT would have withdrawn from Eurovision due to the fallout surrounding Israel’s result in Basel. Before the General Assembly got underway, VRT and RTBF agreed they would jointly decide on participation in Vienna next year.
Belgium alternates its Eurovision responsibility between its two main public broadcasters, RTBF (Wallonia) and VRT (Flanders). After VRT managed Eurovision 2025, the baton now passes to RTBF for 2026. Michaël De Lil steps into his new role, working closely with outgoing lead Leslie Cable for a smooth transition.
Belgium’s Eurovision journey
Belgium was one of the debutant countries at the beginning of the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1956. For the first edition, countries could submit two songs, and for Belgium that year, ‘Messieurs les noyès de la Seine’ by Fud Leclerc and ‘Le plus beau jour de ma vie’ by Mony Marc represented the nation. To this day, we do not know the final results of Eurovision 1956. Belgium have taken part in 64 Eurovision Song Contests; however, they have only ever won once: in 1986 with Sandra Kim and the song ‘J’amie la vie’, scoring 176 points.
Belgium chose Red Sebastian to represent the nation with “Strobe Lights” in 2025. Competing in the first semi-final, Belgium scored 23 points, placing fourteenth and ultimately missing out on the Grand Final for the second year in a row.
Are you excited to see RTBF take charge again? Which artists should Belgium consider for Eurovision 2026? 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: RTBF
Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
Tetiana Viznytsia 
Rory Gannon