Romania confirms return to Eurovision 2026 after two-year hiatus

During a meeting held today, October 30, the Board of Directors of the Romanian Television Company (SRTv) voted in favor of Romania’s return to the Eurovision Song Contest. This marks the country’s comeback for the 70th edition of the competition, which will take place next May in Vienna.

The decision has delighted both Romanian Eurovision fans and the wider Eurovision community, many of whom were hoping to see Romania rejoin the lineup this year. The timing is also symbolic, as TVR celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2026…the same year as Eurovision’s own milestone edition.

Dan-Cristian Turturică, President-General Director of SRTv, explained the reasoning behind the decision:

“I proposed resuming Romania’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest because, during our two-year absence, we had time to reflect on what went wrong in the relationship between TVR, the music industry, and the creative community. We identified what needed to change on our side in order to ensure a more competitive selection process and a show worthy of the contest’s scale — ultimately improving the quality of Romania’s presence on the Eurovision stage.”

“Since Eurovision is a team effort, we dedicated significant time to aligning the expectations and contributions of everyone involved, so that Romania can be represented in the best possible way.”

“We also appreciate the understanding shown by the European Broadcasting Union, which adapted its invitation to Romanian Television to take into account the challenges our institution faces. This demonstrates a genuine interest in Romania’s participation in this global television event.”

This announcement follows a turbulent chapter in Romania’s Eurovision history. During its last participation in 2023, TVR faced strong criticism from its representative, Theodor Andrei, who cited poor communication, lack of support, and limited collaboration. These issues ultimately contributed to a disappointing zero-point result. Theodor was not the first Romanian artist to voice such concerns.

Now, however, Romania appears ready for a fresh start. The broadcaster has acknowledged its past missteps and pledged to implement new strategies moving forward. Turturică added:

“With today’s decision, TVR reaffirms its commitment to supporting Romanian artists, harnessing the creative potential of our music industry, and promoting Romania on one of the world’s most prestigious stages.”

Are you excited about Romania’s return to Eurovision? Who would you like to see representing the country in Vienna next year? Let us know in the comments below!