Italian broadcaster Rai has officially released the song “Che Cos’è l’Amore?” to be performed by 13-year-old Matteo Trullu at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Ta’ Qali.
About “Che Cos’è l’Amore?”
The song, whose title translates to “What Is Love?”, is a power ballad with rock elements that allows Matteo to showcase his versatile and mature voice. Rai has stated the following about the song:
“Che cos’è l’amore?” explores the questions, emotions and small discoveries that accompany growing up. Through simple, everyday images, the song seeks to give meaning to love without providing a definitive answer, because perhaps it is something we gradually learn to recognise as we experience it.
Matteo Trullu was selected internally by Rai to represent Italy at Junior Eurovision 2026 in Malta after winning the latest edition of ‘The Voice Kids Italy’.
Junior Eurovision 2026 continues to take shape
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is due to take place at 21.00 CEST, on Saturday 24 October, live from the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC) in Ta’ Qali. Malta’s broadcaster PBS are hosting the contest for the third time, having done so previously in 2014 and 2016.
The full list of the 16 competing broadcasters is as follows:
- 🇦🇱 RTSH (Albania) – Eslin Kurti – “Kërce me mua”
- 🇦🇲 AMPTV (Armenia) – Naré – “BOO!”
- 🇨🇾 CyBC (Cyprus) – Harry Georgiou – “Who I Can Be”
- 🇫🇷 France Télévisions (France) – Alec – “Comment Tu Vas ?”
- 🇬🇪 GPB (Georgia) – Davit Lomidze – “Sun on the Rooftops”
- 🇮🇪 TG4 (Ireland)
- 🇮🇹 Rai (Italy) – Matteo – “Che Cos’è l’Amore?”
- 🇲🇹 PBS (Malta – host) – Beppe – “Blue Bird”
- 🇲🇪 RTCG (Montenegro) – Mija Mujović – “Muzika Nas Spaja”
- 🇳🇱 AVROTROS (Netherlands) – Maria – “Stronger Together”
- 🇲🇰 MKRTV (North Macedonia) – Ana Stojanoska – “Idnata jas”
- 🇵🇱 TVP (Poland) – Wiktor Sas – “Gravity”
- 🇵🇹 RTP (Portugal) – Salvador Rio – “Alma”
- 🇸🇲 SMRTV (San Marino) – Violamarie – “Ruota Panoramica”
- 🇪🇸 RTVE (Spain) – Lucas Paulano – “Cuore Bello (Te Quiero, Te Quiero)”
- 🇺🇦 Suspilne (Ukraine)
Italy’s Junior Eurovision journey
Italy made its Junior Eurovision debut in 2014 with Vincenzo Cantiello and the song “Tu primo grande amore”. The performance scored 159 points on its way to a victory. Since winning, Italy’s best result is a 3rd place in the 2016 contest. The country has so far participated eight times in the contest.
Italy’s most recent participation was in 2025. Leonardo Giovannangeli’s “Rockstar” finished 12th after receiving 73 points with 26 points coming from the international juries and 47 points from the online voters.
What do you think of “Che Cos’è l’Amore?”? As always, 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 Junior Eurovision 2026!
News Source: Rai
Photo Credit: Junior Eurovision Song Contest