San Marino RTV Director-General Roberto Sergio has confirmed that the 10 “Big” artists competing in the San Marino Song Contest 2026 will be unveiled on 26 February, during a press conference held in Sanremo, on the same day as the third night of the Festival di Sanremo 2026.
20 artists to compete in the San Marino final
The announcement was made in an interview with Il Sole 24 Ore, where Sergio outlined the broadcaster’s plans and ambitions for the coming year.
The San Marino Song Contest 2026 will feature 20 artists in total, split evenly between established names and emerging acts:
- 10 big artists, to be revealed on 26 February in Sanremo
- 10 emerging artists, selected through the international audition process Dreaming San Marino Song Contest
According to San Marino RTV, the open call attracted over 800 submissions from dozens of countries, confirming the contest’s international reach.
As in recent editions, the winner will be chosen by a technical jury, with no televoting. The five-member jury will be chaired by Italian radio host and music author Federica Gentile, with c also joining the panel and contributing to the Critics’ Award.
Familiar Eurovision names among the auditions
While the big acts are still being kept under wraps, the Dreaming San Marino Song Contest auditions have already attracted several familiar faces from the Eurovision world. Among those taking part are Sheila, who finished third at the most recent edition of Festivali i Këngës, Maraaya, Slovenia’s representative at Eurovision 2015, and Viola Gjyzeli, who represented Albania at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The auditions have also featured Xannova Xan, who competed in last year’s Ethnikós Telikós but failed to advance in this year’s edition, as well as Magdalena Tul, Poland’s Eurovision 2011 entrant.
Looking ahead to Eurovision 2026
Roberto Sergio also stressed the strategic importance of the contest for San Marino RTV, noting that the 2025 edition generated over 275 million contacts across television, radio, web and social platforms. The broadcaster estimates a budget of around €1 million for the 2026 final, with projected revenues of approximately €1.2 million, supported by international distribution and digital platforms.
In addition, the final of the San Marino Song Contest will be hosted by Simona Ventura, one of Italy’s most recognisable television figures, and will take place on 6 March 2026 at the Teatro Nuovo in Dogana.
The winner will represent San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna.
San Marino’s Eurovision journey
As one of the smallest countries in Europe, San Marino made its debut in the competition in 2008 with Miodio and the song “Complice”. Since then, they have participated in the competition 14 times, qualifying for the grand final three times. Their best result was in 2019, with Serhat and “Say Na Na Na”.
Italian DJ Gabry Ponte represented San Marino in 2025 with his song “Tutta L’Italia” – the original theme song for Sanremo that year. Performing in the first semi-final, San Marino qualified for the final, where it ultimately placed last with 37 points. 28 points came from the juries, while 9 came from the televote.
Who do you think could be among the big acts revealed in Sanremo? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow That Eurovision Site on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Tumblr, and Bluesky for all the latest updates on Sanremo and Eurovision 2026!
News Source: RTV San Marino, Il Sole 24 Ore
Photo credit: Corinne Cumming / EBU
Giwrgos Oiko