Now Eurovision 2026 is firmly behind us and we’ve had a chance to properly digest the wild ride of Vienna, it’s now time to discuss What Went Wrong. We’ve all had a chance to mull over the results of the contest. The Eurovision 2026 final saw some very dramatic results, but 10 acts did not get a chance to see that.
In our first part Rory, Tom, and Kittens discuss what went wrong with Portugal.
Who is Bandidos do Cante?
“Bandidos do Cante are a five-piece vocal group from the Alentejo region of Portugal. Forming in 2022, the band is made up of Miguel Costa, Duarte Farias, Francisco Pestana, Francisco Raposo and Luís Aleixo. The band first released covers, before debuting original music in 2024, with their song “”Amigos Coloridos”” becoming the most listened to song on national radio for some time. The band released their first album in January 2026, right before their Festival da Canção participation.
Their song for Eurovision 2026 – “”Rosa”” – was written by the group themselves, as well as Francisco Pereira, Gançalo Narciso, Gui Alface and José Carlos Coelho Almeida Tavares.”
What are the issues with the selection?
Rory: Before we even heard the songs competing in Festival da Canção, there was trouble in the water. When all but three acts in the selection ruled out going to Eurovision if they won, it massively reduced the number of acts who genuinely would want to go to Eurovision. Add to that a rather weak year by FdC standards and it was going to be a tough year for Portugal to make it through regardless. Next year could be a completely different outlook, but given the artistic boycott of Eurovision from many Portuguese artists, I highly doubt lessons will be learned going into next year’s show.
Tom: Basically, nobody wanted to go to ESC, that didn’t help. I do not by any means suggest anything was untoward about FdC this year, but as one of only 2 (possibly 3) acts that said they would go to ESC, I do wonder if that had an affect on this song winning the selection. I would’ve much preferred Dinis Mota personally, I think that song and artist was a much better package than the eventual winner. But he didn’t want to go to Vienna – and I completely respect his reasonings for that, and it didn’t win. In a normal year, would this have been different? I guess it is impossible to tell. But I think the presence of KAN in ESC really affected certain national final decisions this year, Portugal being the most obvious example.
Kittens: I think it might be easier to say what wasn’t an issue with this selection to be honest, as it was so tumultous for them this year. I really do think that should Portugal remain in Eurovision that they will have to deal with the very real possibility of no artists from FdC wishing to represent them in the future. Besides that, or possibly because of that, the quality of songs was pretty unremarkable this year – not bad but nothing to write home about. I really do think RTP need to look at what they’re doing very carefully – and if they do decide to not participate this year I hope we would still see FdC continuing with no issue.
Was the song and act good enough to be in Eurovision?
Rory: Bandidos do Cante would have been much more appreciated in the 1990s as opposed to 2026, despite them showing off a truly Portuguese style of singing. The band themselves could sing the track well, but the song was incredibly poor. It harked back to the likes of Klapa s Mora from 2013 where they they just STOOD THERE and did nothing. While these songs deserve to be heard, a place like Eurovision will immediately have them fighting an uphill battle.
Tom: The band are great singers. The song is fine. It’s a beautiful track. It was just not competitive. I also think its absolutely unwise to have the only real staging moment be focussed on a violin, when another act has attracted SO MUCH media attention before the Contest because of their use of a violin. Why would anyone do that? Overall, sure, Bandidos do Cante are good performers and known how to deliver a specific vibe. I just don’t think this song was right for Eurovision 2026.
Kittens: Yes. You didn’t say which year. Honestly the way I feel about this is that it was absolutely very nice. And nice is lovely but it doesn’t win Eurovision. There was something quite charming about it all, but it really felt like it was from another time, for which there is nothing wrong with as a concept but you really do need to lock in and reflect that in the staging and presentation which I’m going to talk about in a moment. I don’t feel like there were issues with them as performing artists, they clearly seemed confident on stage.
Did the staging compliment the song and stand out?
Rory: The staging did come on leaps and bounds from what we saw at Festival da Canção, where they were completely stationary and had these dire school theatre-style props plopped on the ground in front of them. I think, however, how this benefitted was down to the running order – coming in between cocophonous songs from Greece and Georgia, this was a nice pallete cleanser. So did it stand out? Yes. Could it have been enough to make it through just by standing there? Not a hope in hell.
Tom: What staging? It was 5 guys that work at a Carhartt outlet store, and their friend with a violin, slowly walking across a huge stage with some flower graphics. Look it was pretty, but it wasn’t really fleshed out in the way it needed to be to elevate such an uncompetitive track. And again, violin? Really?
Kittens: I really do think that it was the song more than anything else that killed this off, but also a very bland presentation without much key appeal meant that it just got lost in the bigger picture of things. It was fine. It was absolutely fine. But fine doesn’t do enough at Eurovision. There is a way to stage delicate songs well, it takes a lot of skill to make it stand out – but I don’t think this was it.
Could this song have qualified if changes were made?
Rory: A LOT of things would have needed to fall into place in order for Portugal to make it through to the final on this one. Yes, we had the likes of Napa come through as the surprise qualifiers in 2025. But with Bandidos do Cante literally sitting at the bottom of the odds going into the day of the show, Portugal would have been happy they scored a 12th place and not a 15th.
Tom: No. I don’t think so. Which is a shame, because they are incredibly talented singers. It was just not a competitive entry this year for Portugal.
Kittens: I think there would have to have been a lot of luck on their side for this to qualify at all, but maybe given the circumstances it might have been for the best it didn’t make it.
What are our outlooks for future contests?
Rory: Ultimately, RTP really does stand at a crossroads for 2027. The artists in Portugal clearly do not want to go, but there is a push politically to keep going and participate. If RTP does end up going to Eurovision, they are really going to struggle to find an act willing to take part, and even then – with such a low turnout of viewers, I am afraid we could see a repeat of what happened in 2026. But if RTP ends up being privatised, this could end up being the beginning of a dark spot in Portugal’s history – which I am pleading doesn’t happen.
Tom: Whether RTP participate in Eurovision 2027 or not, Festival Da Canção has some great talents every single year. I think voting reform is needed here though. Someone like Henka should be able to win FdC and yet with the current system, I don’t think they ever will. And the “oh this is a beautiful song isn’t it so Portuguese” thing, which has worked so well for years, has started to get tired, specifically with an entry as uncompetitive on the stage as this one.
Kittens: It really does depend on what RTP want to do here. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see a withdrawal under the circumstances, but maybe they think it worth fighting on. If they do proceed, I think they have to be very careful and very aware of the consequences of doing so – and I don’t think it will be easy to recover from the damage done.
Watch the accompanying discussion video here:
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 Bandidos do Cante with the song “Rosa” in 2026. The band failed to qualify for the Grand Final, scoring 74 points and finishing in twelfth place. This was Portugal’s first time missing out on the final since 2019, with 35 points coming from the televote and 39 coming from juries.
What do think about our thoughts? Do you think Bandidos do Cante could have qualified? Let us know in the comments or on social media! Be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky as we prepare for Eurovision 2027!
Source: That Eurovision Site
Image Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU