Rai has published the new rules for Sanremo Giovani 2026, introducing a change to the competition that will see just one artist earn a place among the Campioni at Sanremo 2027.
One winner to reach Sanremo 2027
The new edition of Sanremo Giovani will be the first to be overseen by Stefano De Martino as Artistic Director, alongside Rai’s Direzione Intrattenimento Prime Time.
The selection will begin with the Musical Commission listening to all the songs submitted for the competition. From these entries, 60 artists will be chosen to take part in live auditions. The number will then be reduced to 15 artists who will continue in Sanremo Giovani. They will be joined by 15 artists selected through Area Sanremo, bringing the total number of contestants to 30.
The 30 artists will then take part in another round of live auditions in Sanremo, held over two weekends and attended by De Martino himself. Six finalists will eventually remain, with three selected from Sanremo Giovani and three from Area Sanremo.
Six finalists to perform on Rai 1
The six finalists will have the opportunity to present themselves to the Italian public before the final. Each of them will perform during one of six episodes of a major prime-time programme on Rai 1, giving the artists the chance to introduce their music to a much wider audience.
The final of Sanremo Giovani 2026 will take place on 18 December, live in prime time on Rai 1 from the Casino di Sanremo. The six finalists will compete in front of the Musical Commission, which will ultimately select a single winner. That artist will receive a direct place in the Campioni category of Sanremo 2027, competing alongside the established names taking part in the main Festival.
Italy’s Eurovision journey
Italy has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since the very beginning and have always been considered a powerhouse in the contest. The country has won the contest on three occasions in 1964, 1990 and 2021. Italy withdrew after 1997, returning again in 2011 with Raphael Gualazzi who sang ‘Madness Of Love’. Raphael placed second in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest after scoring 189 points.
Italy’s renowned Festival di Sanremo is, in many ways, the original Eurovision – the contest we know and love was modelled after it, after all! First broadcast in 1951, it is the longest-running annual TV music competition in the world. Sanremo was developed as a way to revitalize the city of Sanremo’s economy and reputation after the Second World War, and has since split into two smaller contests: the “Big Artists” section, whose winner gets first refusal to represent Italy in Eurovision, and the “Newcomers” section, first included in 1984. Scores are determined through public voting and two groups of juries, and the festival takes place across five nights. Changes to the show often happen year on year, and the winner of the festival does not always go on to represent Italy at Eurovision, as was the case in 2025.
Italy’s most recent Eurovision entry in 2026 was “Per sempre sì” by Sal da Vinci, who won the 2026 edition of Festival di Sanremo. Italy does not compete in the semi-finals and has a secured spot in the Grand Final of the contest. At the close of voting in the Grand Final of Eurovision 2026, Italy scored a total of 281 points, placing 5th. Of these, 134 points came from the juries, whilst the remaining 147 points came from the televote.
What do you think of the new Sanremo Giovani rules? Who would you like to see participate in the next edition of the Festival di Sanremo contest? 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, Bluesky, and ZOOP for more information about Eurovision 2027!
News Source: RAI
Image Credits: RAI
Thomas James 
Emma Walton 
Rory Gannon