Moldova: 16 finalists for Selecția Națională 2026 selected

Moldovan broadcaster TRM has revealed the finalists for Selecția Națională 2026 – the country’s selection method for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna.

Yesterday (16 December 2025), the auditions took place. 37 participants registered for the auditions, of which 34 performed on stage. Following the performances, 16 acts were selected to advance to the Selecția Națională 2026 Final.

Initially, it was planned to qualify a maximum of 10 acts from the auditions, but TRM, together with the producers, expanded the list of finalists to 16 due to the large number of strong songs and performances.

The Final of Selecția Națională 2026 takes place on 17 January 2026 at Arena Chișinău. The outcome will be decided by an international jury (1/3), a Moldovan jury (1/3), and public voting (1/3).

Serghei Orlov, music producer of Selecția Națională 2026, says:

– The live auditions helped us see who was truly ready for the big stage. We took into account not only the voice, but also charisma, stage presence, and the way the artists can communicate with the audience.

– Initially, we intended to choose 10 participants, but we decided to go further with 16 finalists because we felt potential in more artists and wanted to give them the chance to take the stage at Arena Chișinău in the Final on 17 January.

Moldova in Eurovision

Moldova has taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest 19 times since its debut in 2005, missing only the 2025 contest.

The country achieved its best result in 2017, when Sunstroke Project finished 3rd with the hit "Hey Mamma."

Out of the 19 times we've seen Moldova in Eurovision, they've managed to qualify for 13 Grand Finals.