Moldova's National Selection for Eurovision 2026
The process to choose Moldova's entry for the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest begins today with the national selection final, Selecția Națională 2026, starting at 19:00. A diverse group of performers will compete for the chance to represent the nation on the international stage. The Eurovision Song Contest is a major annual cultural event, watched by millions across Europe and beyond.
While Moldova has not consistently reached the Eurovision final, it has achieved some notable successes in the past decade, including:
- Sunstroke Project, who finished 3rd in 2017;
- DoReDos, who placed 10th in 2019;
- Zdob și Zdub, who secured 7th place in 2022.
The 2026 Eurovision final will be held in Vienna on May 16, following semi-finals on May 12 and 14.
Voting Changes and Competing Artists
This year's selection is notable due to announced changes to the Eurovision voting system by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Furthermore, Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands will boycott the 2026 contest. The artists vying for Moldova's spot in Selecția Națională 2026 include:
- Artiom Topal
- Valleria
- Adelisha
- Maxim Zavidia
- Evghenii Avramov & ALenin Ivan
- Cătălina Solomac
- Dayana
- Satoshi
- Sasha Flowers
- Cristy Rouge
- Ilinca Siviroveanu
- Bacho
- Curly
- Emforia
- Katy Rain
- Pavel Orlov
The inclusion of special guest Jamala, the 2016 Eurovision winner for Ukraine, alongside the new voting format, adds a unique dimension to this year's competition. Today's event marks a significant step in Moldova's preparations for the increasingly popular contest. This national selection highlights the country's growing engagement with Eurovision, where nations strive for recognition despite challenges such as the boycott by several countries. The combination of new rules and a competitive field of artists makes this a pivotal moment for Moldova's musical ambitions on the European stage.