Portugal have confirmed their intention to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, due to be held in Bulgaria. The Portuguese broadcaster RTP announced they will take part in the contest in May.
RTP confirms Festival da Canção to go ahead
After it was announced that 36 countries – including Portugal – would compete at the upcoming edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, broadcaster RTP confirmed that its national selection Festival da Canção would be returning.
There are changes on the way for selection, however, as semi finals will not be taking place like in previous years. Instead, one standalone show will be held on March 6th, and will feature 16 songs. A submissions window to enter the competition will open on November 1st.
The shift in approach comes after RTP faced controversy after 13 of the 16 acts in the 2026 edition of the selection said they would not take part in Eurovision if they won Festival da Canção. This was averted when Bandidos do Cante, the only act openly confirming their decision to represent Portugal, won the selection.
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”. They hosted the contest in Lisbon in 2018.
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 most recent participation was with Bandidos do Cante who won Festival da Canção with the song “Rosa” in 2026. The band failed to qualify for the Grand Final, scoring 74 points and finishing in twelfth place in the first semi-final in Vienna. 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 you think of Portugal confirming their participation in Eurovision 2027? Who would you like to see participate in the next edition of Festival da Canção? 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: RTP
Image Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU
Tim J 
Fernando Koziel