Junior Eurovision 2019: 19 countries to take part

EBU has announced that 19 countries will take part in this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest. While Azerbaijan and Israel opted out from the competition, Spain makes its anticipated comeback

19 countries are ready to #ShareTheJoy at this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

The show will take place in Gliwice-Silesia (Poland) on 24 November after Roksana Węgiel gave the country its first ever victory in the competition with "Anyone I Want To Be".

This year, we won't be seeing Israel nor Azerbaijan take the stage. Instead, we'll see Spain making a return to the show after its last participation back in 2006 with Dani Fernández and "Te Doy Mi Voz".

Below you'll find the list of the 19 countries to take part in the competition:

Junior Eurovision 2019: Poland — Photo: Eurovision.tv

This year's event will be held at Arena Gliwice with capacity for over 13,000 people. So far there's two contestants picked: Mila Moskov who'll represent North Macedonia and Giorgi Rostiashvili for Georgia.

History of Junior Eurovision

Back in 2000 the Danish broadcaster Denmark's Radio (DR) held a song contest for children, and in 2002 the "MGP Nordic" was held together with Sweden and Norway. EBU picked up the idea for a song contest featuring children, and the first Junior Eurovision Song Contest was held in 2003 in Copenhagen, with 16 participating countries.

Back then the Junior Eurovision was based on entertainment for kids around Europe. On their level. It has later transformed itself to a copy of the "adult's Eurovision", lacking the soul and unique atmosphere it once had.

Junior Eurovision is only open for children aged 9 to 14.