After a stunning 12th place finish in Rotterdam, Portugal‘s withdrawal from Eurovision 2022 was never on the cards. Today, broadcaster RTP confirmed the Iberian nation has its eyes set on Italy and has laid the ground rules for Festival da Canção 2022.
The news was confirmed this afternoon, making Portugal the second Iberian nation ready to set sail to the land of pizza and pasta and, of course, Puglian burrata with torpedino tomato.
Despite mixed outcomes at Eurovision, Festival da Canção has proven to be a fresh and successful selection method after its revamp in 2017, providing five quality entries, a top-15 finisher and a Eurovision winner.
It’s no surprise broadcaster RTP is highly invested in the iconic brand going for its 56th edition in 2022.
20 entries, four from public submissions
The songwriter-focused format is back for the national final. Same as last year, 20 songs will take part in the competition.
Sixteen of the songs will come from established songwriters invited by RTP. The songwriters will also decide which artist will perform their song. As we’ve seen in previous years, sometimes the songwriter performs their own song or they may select a well-known singer.
For 2022, the broadcaster has increased the number of songs selected via public submissions — from two to four entries. This will be open to Portuguese citizens or residents. The deadline for submitting songs is 21 October.
The show itself will consist of two semi-finals made up of ten songs each. Five songs from each semi will qualify for the grand final.
Voting in the semi-finals will be done by 50% televote and 50% expert jury. For the grand final, it will be 50% televote and 50% regional juries. In the event of a tiebreak, the televote favourite wins.
While RTP hasn’t announced the exact dates of Festival da Canção 2022, the broadcaster has confirmed that the 56th edition will take place sometime in February and March 2022.
What do you think? Who would you like to see compete in Festival da Canção 2022? Tell us your thoughts below!
Excellent. Portugal at the ESC seems to be on a good run at the moment.
I really love Portuguese entries which are always unique and stick into their national style. I lived 6 years in Lisbon and I must say, I fell in love with the local artists and their music. Unfortunately, not all Europeans understand the real beauty and message hidden behind the lyrics, but what I like about the Portuguese artists is that they keep staying committed to the Portuguese language (well, except from 2021 entry which I still think would sound better in Portuguese) 🙂 Anyway, I hope the next year’s entry will be sung fully in Portuguese. There are many talented… Read more »
So what?!!!… Portugal is doing much better than Spain, if that is what you hinting at (Sorry to the Spanish friends, but coming from this person, that is always putting down the Portuguese entries, this is of course a spiteful comment, although it doesn’t seems like one. This deserved an answer.)
I love all the portuguese songs since 2017, for me ” O jardim ” is magical ?
Festival da Cançao is one of the most iconic NF’s right now because of its quality entries each year and the originality they preserve in the contest. Good luck Portugal!
Looking forward to see next year’s Festival da Canção, hope to see Portugal in the left side of the scoreboard again (along with Spain for the first time in a while)
I was so proud of Portugal and the Black Mamba this year. Here’s hoping they can find the happy medium again in 2022!
I would like to see Nininho Maia on festival da canção
Only a week left till the broadcasters have to confirm their participation. So excited to see if we will see any returning countries (apart from Armenia) in Italy.
Excited to see any returning countries apart from Armenia?
I mean be excited if you want but do you have to be spiteful for another country that might come back? It’s like someone would say: “I’m so excited about the Big-5 entries! Just not the French one!”
I mean she just meant it’s already generally expected armenia will return?? I see no spite in her statement.
You mean many of us completely misunderstood KESC aka KRM aka MYY aka Princess Diana aka ROXELANA’s opinnions about things such as Armenia or Jewish people as a hateful speech and therefore some of us are doubtful about all of the comments this person writes?
Maybe next New Years Eve we will get one of her so called minus manias once again?
I didn’t mean that. I meant that I wonder if we will have any other returning countries besides Armenia, since it’s 90% sure that they will return.
I honestly don’t understand why I’m still being voted down even after I explained what I really meant. I didn’t have any bad intention, but it’s quite sad to see so many toxic people.
Either they mean that Armenia’s return is kinda certain, or they’re a racist Azerbaijani
interesting they are doubling down on public submissions…both public entries last year were actually half decent compared to some of the invited composers but got skunked by the juries and in the final the jury put the public entry dead last…I still hope they continue to diversify their entries…the number of sad girls emoting pensively and quietly into a microphone are far too many that creates of sameness…composers can’t seem to think beyond Salvador-factor….hopefully Black Mambas success will allow other established artist to not just compose but actually enter themselves…their professionalism really shone through on the stage in Rotterdam
might be controversial but Portugal is always one of my favourite selections every year, even if they picked my literal overall last place in fdc this year. so I look forward to this
For me Portugal either sends quality that I don’t personally like or quality I personally love. Since 2017, I got 2 songs from them in my top10 and the other 2 (or 3) in bottom10 lol
you know what that’s actually a really good way of putting it. like I really don’t like love is on my side but I also know that it’s quality