We at That Eurovision Site will be ranking national finals throughout this coming season. The next national final that the team have taken a closer look at is Festival da Canção, which will take place on the 28th of February. Festival da Canção will select the Eurovision representative for Portugal in Vienna.
Who is taking part in the Festival da Canção 2026 semi final?
There are 8 artists taking part in the semi final of Festival da Canção. The 8 artists taking part are as follows:
| Entrant | Entry |
| Bandidos do Cante | “Rosa“ |
| Francisco Fontes | “Copiloto“ |
| Gonçalo Gomes | “Doce Ilusão“ |
| Inês Sousa | “Um filme ao contrário“ |
| Jacaréu and Ana Margarida | “O-pi-ni-ão“ |
| João Ribeiro | “Canção de Querer“ |
| Sandrino | “Disposta a tudo“ |
| Silvana Peres | “Não tem fim“ |
Who is our winner from Festival da Canção?
We ranked the songs taking part in the final, using a 1-8 ranking. 1 being our favourite,8 being our least favourite song. We then calculated the average of all our rankings.
3rd. Jacaréu and Ana Margarida – “O-pi-ni-ão“ (4.00):
2nd. Inês Sousa – “Um filme ao contrário“ (3.75):
1st. Sandrino – “Disposta a tudo“ (1.75):
What did some of our team members have to say about their favourite songs from Festival da Canção?
Kittens (Jacaréu and Ana Margarida): Okay you know when I, a certified not-portugal enjoyer, like a song from Portugal that it’s gonna be a bit different from their usual fodder. And this sounds silly and fun (despite the fact that the lyrics make a great point) – which makes it in my category of thing! While I think there’s something still missing from the production of this (it could do with a stronger bassline or more instrumentation and really needs a lift for progression) it does at least bring the fun(k) to the competition.
Rory (Inês): I really do like listening to this track whilst on a walk, and Inês’ vocals are like melted chocolate, incredibly smooth and rich. The song does remind me a small bit of “Warwick Avenue” by Duffy in places, but that’s not a bad thing, it’s very much appreciated. I do fear it would get lost at Eurovision, but for a FdC final, it has every right to be there!
George (Sandrino): Sandrino feels like a calm kind of power. It’s a song that truly screams Portugal, and I would love to see it on the Eurovision stage. Overall, his voice is very distinctive and incredibly smoothing.
And what were the teams thoughts on the national final as a whole?
Samantha: Something I always love about FdC is that they are never trying to please international audiences first and foremost but always thinking about how they can bring Portuguese culture to us. There is a nice mix of purely traditional Portuguese music in this lineup and then other entries that are more experimental with it. This national final is what my Dad would call “proper music” no gimmicks, no “oh look I can do this and then I can that” just a voice, some nice melodies, actual instruments and a vibe. If I wasn’t already nostalgic every single day about my trip to Lisbon last summer then this lineup has made me increasingly nostalgic.
What is Festival da Canção?
Festival da Canção is a Portuguese music festival held every year. Artists apply, but they also get invited to take part in the festival by the broadcaster RTP. Festival Da Canção selects the Portuguese representative for the Eurovision Song Contest. This national final is one of the oldest national finals and has been going for 57 years. The first edition of Festival da Canção was all the way back in 1964. The festival was held in 1970 and 2000 despite the country not taking part in the contest, first due to a boycott, and then in 2000 due to be relegated from the contest.
Portugal’s Eurovision Journey
Portugal debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest with António Calvário’s “Oração” in 1964. Since then, Portugal has participated in the competition 55 times – appearing the final 46 times. Their only win in the competition came in 2017 with Salvador Sobral, performing his heart-wrenching song “Amar Pelos Dois”.
Portugal’s most recent participation was with NAPA with the song “Deslocado”. The band managed to qualify for the Grand Final and once there, they finished in 21st place. They received a total of 50 points, of which 37 points came from the jury and 13 points came the televote.
Who would you like to see represent Portugal in Vienna? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky for all things Eurovision 2026!
News Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo Credit: Samantha / That Eurovision Site