RTVE confirms Spain's participation in Junior Eurovision 2026 after adult contest boycott
RTVE will send a representative to the 24th edition of the junior song contest on 24 October in Ta' Qali, Malta, alongside 15 other countries, while its boycott of the adult Eurovision over Israel's participation continues.
Spain returns to the junior stage
RTVE, the Spanish public broadcaster, confirmed on 24 July that it will take part in the 24th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. The event is scheduled for 24 October 2026 in Ta' Qali, Malta, and will feature 16 participating broadcasters from across Europe. The decision keeps Spain inside the Eurovision family at the junior level, even as the country remains absent from the adult contest.
The Israel factor
Spain's boycott of the main Eurovision Song Contest stems from the continued participation of Israel's public broadcaster. RTVE did not compete in the 2026 adult edition and did not broadcast the event, which was won by Bulgaria's Dara with 'Bangaranga'. Junior Eurovision, however, does not include Israel, removing the obstacle that led RTVE to break with the senior competition. The broadcaster's confirmation makes clear that its dispute with the European Broadcasting Union is limited to the adult festival.
A strong track record
Spain is a founding country of Junior Eurovision, which launched in 2003, and has participated on 11 occasions. The country won the very first edition with María Isabel and the song 'Antes muerta que sencilla'. After a hiatus, Spain returned to the contest in 2019 and has since built a consistent presence. In 2025, the Spanish representative Gonzalo Pinillos finished fifth with 'Érase una vez (Once Upon a Time)', continuing a run of solid results.
- First Junior Eurovision Song Contest; Spain wins with María Isabel and 'Antes muerta que sencilla'
- Spain returns to Junior Eurovision after a hiatus
- Gonzalo Pinillos finishes fifth with 'Érase una vez (Once Upon a Time)'
- 24th edition takes place in Ta' Qali, Malta, with 16 participating countries
The 2026 lineup
Sixteen public broadcasters have confirmed their attendance, according to the EBU: RTSH (Albania), AMPTV (Armenia), CyBC (Cyprus), RTVE (Spain), France Télévisions (France), GPB (Georgia), TG4 (Ireland), Rai (Italy), MKRTV (North Macedonia), PBS (Malta), RTCG (Montenegro), AVROTROS (Netherlands), TVP (Poland), RTP (Portugal), SMRTV (San Marino) and Suspilne (Ukraine). The host broadcaster, PBS Malta, will stage the contest at the Ta' Qali venue.
What comes next
RTVE has yet to name the artist who will represent Spain in Malta. The corporation said it will provide further details about the candidacy next week. The announcement will be closely watched after the broadcaster's high-profile withdrawal from the adult Eurovision, as it signals how RTVE intends to manage its relationship with the EBU going forward.