RÚV has announced that it will no longer hold Söngvakeppnin 2026, following the broadcaster’s decision that Iceland will not participate in Eurovision 2026. RÚV is now exploring alternative plans for the future of its national music programming.
Söngvakeppnin cancelled after Eurovision withdrawal
The change comes after RÚV confirmed that it will not take part in Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, a decision made in response to ongoing controversy surrounding the inclusion of Israel in the contest. As part of this development, the usual national final, Söngvakeppnin, has been shelved for this year. It remains unclear whether a replacement event or a modified version of the show will be organised instead.
RÚV has said it is examining potential alternatives to fill the programming gap left by the cancellation, but no specific replacement format has been announced yet.
Eva Georgs. Ásudóttir, the Program Director at RÚV, explained that:
“It is clear that Söngvakeppnin in the format that has existed since we participated in Eurovision will not be held. The prerequisites for a traditional Söngvakeppnin are broken by our not participating in Eurovision, what will be done next has not been decided.”
About Söngvakeppnin
Usually one of the later national finals in the calendar, Iceland’s selection Söngvakeppnin has taken place since 1981, and since 2006 has been in a format of semi-finals leading towards a final. Under current competition rules, all semi-final songs must be in Icelandic, with the option there to translate the song to English should they reach the final. Since the current rules were adopted in 2015, all but two winners of the selection chose to do this.
Iceland’s Eurovision journey
Iceland made its debut on the Eurovision stage in 1986, finishing 16th with the song “Gleðibankinn” (Bank of Fun) by ICY. In their 35 appearances, Iceland has finished in the top 10 an impressive 7 times. Their best result to date is second place, which they have achieved twice. The first time was in 1999, when Selma Björnsdóttir received 146 points for her performance of “All Out of Luck”. The second time was in 2009, with Yohanna singing “Is It True” and receiving 218 points.
VÆB represented Iceland in Basel in 2025 with their song “RÓA”. The duo qualified for the final, bringing Iceland back into the final for the first time since 2022. In the final, they would eventually finish in 25th place with 33 points; all of these were awarded by the televote.
Will you miss Söngvakeppnin? 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: RÚV
Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU
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