Italy: The 30 artists for Sanremo 2026 have been announced
The 76th edition of the iconic Festival di Sanremo lineup has been revealed. One of the 30 acts will be crowned the winner and presented the option to represent Italy at Eurovision 2026
Ecco la scaletta di Sanremo 2026!
The legendary Festival di Sanremo preparations are underway, and we're one step closer to knowing who will take the crown in February 2026.
Back in February 2025, Olly was awarded the honor of victory in the 75th edition of Sanremo with his song "Balorda Nostalgia." While he did decline participation in Eurovision 2025, Lucio Corsi took to the stage in Basel for Italy and received a respectable 5th place with the song "Volevo essere un duro." Both have earned their place in Sanremo history, and soon we'll know who will join them in the history books.
With that, the Sanremo 2026 lineup has been revealed and we know who is taking the iconic stage this upcoming February. All 30 acts were selected by artistic director Carlo Conti and were unveiled today by RAI, the Italian Broadcaster.
The song titles will be disclosed at the Giovani Final on 14 December, yet the public will have to wait until Sanremo’s opening night on 24 February to listen to the 30 songs.
Sanremo 2026
This year marks the 76th edition of Festival di Sanremo. There will be five shows across five nights, all hosted by Artistic Director Carlo Conti from the Teatro Artison in Sanremo, Liguria, Italy.
Sanremo 2026 will take place from 24-28 February at the legendary Teatro Artison.
Night 1 - Tuesday, 24 February:
All 30 acts take the stage to perform their song. The top 5 of Night 1 will be released in a random order. Vote determined via 100% press jury (TV, online media).
Night 2 - Wednesday, 25 February:
15 artists perform their songs again. The top 5 of Night 2 will be revealed in a random order. Vote determined via 50% radio jury, 50% televote.
Night 3 - Thursday, 26 February:
The remaining 15 artists perform their songs again. The top 5 of Night 3 will be revealed in a random order. Vote determined via 50% radio jury, 50% televote.
Night 4 - Friday, 27 February:
Cover Night! All 30 artists will perform a cover of their choice, either solo or alongside another singer. The winning cover song will be announced at the end of the night (results separate from actual Sanremo winner). Vote determined via 33% radio jury, 33% press jury (TV, online media), 34% televote.
Night 5 - Saturday, 28 February:
The Final Night! All 30 acts perform again with the top 5 (totaled from Nights 1, 2, 3, & 5) will advance to the Superfinal. One of the acts in the Superfinal will take home the Sanremo 2026 crown, and the opportunity to represent Italy at Eurovision 2026. Vote determined via 33% radio jury, 33% press jury (TV, online media), 34% televote.
Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
Italy has participated in 50 Eurovision contests. They have won three times:
- 1964: Gigliola Cinquetti – Non ho l'età
- 1990: Toto Cutugno – Insieme: 1992
- 2021: Måneskin – Zitti e buoni
Their worst result came in 1966, when they finished last.
Italy's most well-known song is "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu," better known as "Volare" from 1958. It is also the most covered Eurovision Song Contest song ever. The song has been covered by famous stars such as Dean Martin, Cliff Richard, David Bowie and many more.
Italy took a long pause from the Eurovision Song Contest between 1998 and 2010. Since then, Italy has been a "Big-5" country, which means they don't have to go through the Semi-final round and are automatically qualified for the Grand Final.
