In recent weeks, we’ve seen many confirmations for Eurovision 2020. There are now 36 countries who have provisionally said yes to Eurovision 2020. But what about the ones who haven’t publicly confirmed yet?
Based on the countries who regularly participate in Eurovision, there are still seven countries left to make their intentions known. That’s not necessarily a bad sign — some of them are notoriously late to confirm every year. And as the application deadline has passed, all of these countries will have privately made their intentions known to the EBU, one way or another. But let’s take a look at these remaining countries still to publicly confirm for Eurovision 2020.
Note: the initial deadline for participation at Eurovision 2020 has passed but broadcasters were able to withdraw without penalty until mid-October. The EBU is expected to release the full list of confirmed acts in early November.
Armenia: In!
Broadcaster AMPTV has not yet confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2020. Right now, the Armenian team is focused on its entry for Junior Eurovision 2019. Last year the broadcaster didn’t publicly confirm until late October, so this isn’t out of the ordinary for them. With two non-qualifications in a row, Armenia may be considering its plans for Eurovision 2020.
Update: Armenia has confirmed for Eurovision 2020! AMPTV has not yet said how they will select their act for Rotterdam.
Bulgaria: In!
After withdrawing from Eurovision 2019, broadcaster BNT was reported as being bankrupt, with debts of over 25 million euros. The broadcaster has previously said their decision about Eurovision 2020 will likely be announced in late September.
Update: Bulgaria is back! Broadcaster BNT has secured a full sponsorship deal that will allow the financially troubled broadcaster to compete in Eurovision 2020.
Hungary: Unknown
Broadcaster MTVA has not yet confirmed Hungary’s participation in Eurovision 2020. Following Hungary’s non-qualification in Tel Aviv, there is speculation that Hungary may revamp its national final A Dal.
Based on previous years, it is most likely that Hungary will confirm their participation in Eurovision 2020 with the launched of A Dal 2020. This has previously happened in late September/early October.
Update: Broadcaster MTVA will again hold the national song competition A Dal in 2020, however the contest will not serve as a national final for Eurovision 2020. The broadcaster has issued a statement saying “Instead of taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2020, we will support the valuable productions created by the talents of Hungarian pop music directly.” While this confirms that MTVA won’t be involved in Eurovision 2020, there is still a possibility that Hungary will be involved in another way.
Italy: In!
Broadcaster RAI has confirmed that planning for the 2020 edition of the Sanremo Music Festival is underway. However, it has not yet been confirmed that this will be Italy’s selection for Eurovision.
Following Mahmood’s second-place finish in Tel Aviv, it is very likely that Italy will return to Eurovision. In the past, Italy has confirmed Eurovision in mid-September/early October.
Update: RAI has confirmed that Sanremo 2020 will be the artist selection for Rotterdam. Competing acts wishing to be eligible for Eurovision must declare their interest ahead of the competition.
Moldova: Unknown
Broadcaster TRM has not yet confirmed Moldova’s participation in Eurovision 2020. If they do confirm, it is expected that Moldova will again use some form of their national final O melodi pentru Europa. In recent years, Moldova has only been confirmed in November with the EBU’s list of confirmed countries.
Poland: Unknown
Broadcaster TVP is currently hard at work organising Junior Eurovision 2019, so this may be where the broadcaster’s focus is at the moment. It is likely that Poland will participate at Eurovision 2020, but after two years of non-qualifications, they could be rethinking their strategy.
Update: TVP has confirmed to local fan media that Poland will also participate at Eurovision 2020. The broadcaster has not confirmed their selection method, but last year internally selected their act.
Russia: Unknown
A fan blog earlier reported that broadcaster Channel One Russia has confirmed its participation for 2020. However, no definite source has been given for this. In the past, Russian broadcasters have been notoriously tight-lipped about Eurovision, so silence at this stage is not out of the ordinary. It is expected that Russia will participate.
Other countries
Andorra: Broadcaster RTVA has confirmed that it will not make a comeback at Eurovision 2020.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Broadcaster BHRT has confirmed that it is currently unable to participate at Eurovision due to the sanctions imposed by the EBU as a result of the broadcaster’s financial debt.
Luxembourg: Fans have again petitioned the government for a return to Eurovision, however broadcaster RTL has confirmed that it has no plans to return to Eurovision in 2020 as the channel’s focus is on local news content.
Monaco: Broadcaster TMC has confirmed that Monaco will not return to compete at Eurovision in 2020.
Slovakia: RTVS has confirmed that it will not return to Eurovision due to lack of interest from Slovakian viewers.
Turkey: Broadcaster TRT has previously said that it will not broadcast Eurovision, due to the content shown as part of the song contest, which it feels is unsuitable for Turkish children to view.
Non-members of the EBU
Kazakhstan: While associate-member broadcaster Khabar Agency has again been given a guest invitation to participate at Junior Eurovision 2019, the EBU has confirmed that they have no plans to extend this invitation to the Eurovision Song Contest 2020.
Kosovo: Broadcaster RTK does not currently meet membership criteria for joining the European Broadcasting Union. As a non-member, they are unable to compete at Eurovision.
Liechtenstein: Following the 2018 passing of its Eurovision-focused former editor-in-chief, broadcaster 1 FLT TV is no longer pursuing plans to join the EBU and participate at Eurovision.
Bulgaria is my favorite esc country since 2016 so i hope theyre back
Armenia please stay out! I barely can see Srbuk or Sevak on telly after their disqualification. We have to be careful without performers.
What happened to Srbuk was totally unfair but that doesn’t disqualify her as an amazing singer with killer vocals. Also, her new song is a total BOP
I really want Levante for Italy.
This is her new single:
https://youtu.be/o6XlC88T8Fg
Poland Keep our fingers crossed
I would love to see a Bulgarian comeback, with a duo by Poli & Kristian….
I don’t think that Kristian would consider doing Eurovision these days..
Why not?
Just check out his instagram account, then you’ll understand.. 🙂
I looked at his instagram. I still don’t get it. He seems to be promoting himself in Asia…?
I wished my country, Belgium, would withdraw from thé vompetition and trust me i’m not the only one thinking that way here in Belgium
Haha good one!
It’s better to not participate than send some basic song like “Wake Up” tbh.. So yeah you should maybe withdraw…
Or have someone from the German-speaking region to take part. It’s always been Flanders and Wallonia and not the third language region.
Poland will retire …. you will see ……….
OMG an ESC without Italy, Russia, Armenia and Poland? No way ?????????
I want Liechtenstein at Eurovision.
So once again the same countries will be in Eurovision with Ukraine & Bulgaria playing in and out. At this point it’s pretty obvious that the current Turkish government does not allow TRT to come back to the contest for political reasons so there’s nothing EBU can do about that. But they at least should try to get Bosnia & Herzegovina, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Andorra back. And invite the goddamn Kazakhstan already!! I don’t get what’s the matter with that?!
I wouldn’t call Turkey’s reasons “political”, just ignorant and bigoted.
Literally no one seems to oppose the idea of let tr ing Kazakhstan Join. Let Them in!
I oppose. Unless they want to become full EBU members, in which case I will welcome them.
EBU won’t let them in cause they are scared that they would be too strong a competitor and win the whole thing or vote for russia and help them win. EBU doesn’t want Eastern countries to win cause they have a bias for western countries
EBU will not want a potential country that can’t afford the fees again.
Kazakh broadcaster can afford the fees. They even afforded to host JESC 2019.
What makes you think that the Kazakh broadcaster would end up like the Bosnian or Bulgarian broadcaster?
Of course Italy will be in ESC 2020! I hope to see the italian singer Annalisa in the Netherlands
The “Il Mondo Prima Di Te”-Annalisa? Would be amazing <3
I love this song! The best of her. She is an amazing singer and voice.
I think they’re all pretty sure things except Bulgaria, and even them I’m optimistic for. In particular, it’d be odd for Poland to pull out after hosting another big ESC-related event (Bulgaria participating and hosting really laid the groundwork for their comeback at the adult contest, but them and Austria’s multiple EYM hosting gigs during their Eurovision hiatus are the exceptions that prove the rule.)
I wouldn’t be shocked if TVP passed on ESC2020. They don’t like something unless it makes them look good. That’s why they’re huge fans of JESC out of sudden, even though they didn’t care about it for years. In 2016 Poland did quite good in ESC, but then in barely qualified in 2017 and after that couldn’t even get out of semifinals. I wouldn’t be shocked if they decided to stay away of it, especially since they thought Tulia will be a black horse for some reason and they’ve done it already in 2011.
Belarus confirmed their participation and their national final late last year (late January/early February iirc) , so this might be the case of Poland this year. I’m not worried about them withdrawing at all.
I don’t understand what it means to say a country is focusing on the junior Eurovision, so it has not confirmed yet. What else does a country need to do to confirm besides saying yes? Does it require a big project to announce that yes we will join Eurovision next year?
It’s not that simple though. They have to pay for the participation. So it’s better to make sure they will be able to finance the whole thing after dealing with JESC. As you see the remaining countries are economically struggling ones.
But as the article says, the initial deadline has passed, so whether they have paid the fee has already been decided. Now it just needs to say yes or no.
They do well in JESC and terrible in ESC. They can just give up on ESC for 1-3 years, like they did in 2011 (returned in 2014).
Poland always confirms late. They will be in Rotterdam, I don’t worry.
No they do not. Last year they confirmed it right after content
Idiot
Nice too meet you Idiot. I’m Dawid
U are not idiot, I ment that Mr Dr Mistery that was saying that Poland always confirms late. Its not true
Oh sorry then. I’m getting used to being attacked here
So, Poland will withdraw?
No idea. It probability wasn’t this high for years though.
italy, hungary, armenia and moldova always confirm last so no need to worry. btw i don’t get why they won’t invite kazakhstan, that sounds rude lol
I feel it’ll depend a lot on how they do at JESC. Sixth place wasn’t enough to convince them last year, but if they finish top three, I think it’d be hard to justify not inviting them. (The real trouble is that keeping Australia after 2015 opened up a whole can of worms about eligibility when there was a justifiable reason in 2015, and yes Eurovision has been better for keeping Australia, but now it makes the whole Kazakhstan thing confusing, etc etc etc).
i don’t get what’s confusing bout inviting a country that would only enrich the contest n that clearly wants to try as hard as possible to do well. they even offered to host jesc
No, that’s not the confusing part. The confusing part is where to draw the line after that.
It certainly is. Latvia dedicated an entire entry to that very question and look where it got them.
And Australia qualified over them! So clearly we don’t draw the line there. (I draw the line at boring songs like Don’t Come Easy and annoying pop like Line, but I digress.)
Australia being invited made sense: it was considered a special occasion and they’ve broadcast it longer than any other non-European country. Them sticking around afterwards is just kinda justified by that continued dedication. Kazakhstan has the dedication and the audience, but not for as long or to as huge a degree. It breaks down when you consider that they compete in European league events like the Euro Cup and Australia doesn’t, but also if that’s the second non-EBU country in the contest, where does it stop after that? I would be happy to see them debut and even join the… Read more »
Sure, Australia broadcast the contest for years, but they just replayed Terry Wogan’s BBC commentary. It didn’t exactly take much effort.
I still hope Kazakhstan will be invited and I still hope that Bulgaria will return but Hungary, Armenia, Italy, Russia, Poland and Moldova will most likely participate.
Due to a lack of interest from Slovakian viewers? Well, I know a few Slovakians who are interested. You could MAKE it interesting for your viewers, how about that? I don’t know which viewing figures they expect, it’s not going to be millions, they’re a small country.
Miki should perform for Andorra with a song in Catalan.
BiH is the wrong country to keep out. They’re a source of quality.
When you host that junior thing, I don’t see how you cannot participate in the real thing, so no need to be worried.
While I do hope for Slovakia’s return, let’s not push too hard on them. They will return when they want to . Look at Czech Republic. They returned all of a sudden, beyond everyone’s expectation.
Who knows? If Czech Republic wins next year, maybe slovakia would return for 2021.
Maybe instead of Andorra, Miki could represent an independent Catalonia one day.
lack of interest is just an excuse.. ratings in the Czech Republic are very low (but it’s also because of the lack of promotion) and still we will participate sixth time in a row and we will have televised national selection next year so as I said, it’s just a stupid excuse