Canada to debut in Eurovision 2027, first new entrant since Australia

Canada will enter the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria, with CBC/Radio-Canada and the European Broadcasting Union announcing the move on July 1, 2026, the same day Canadians marked Canada Day. The country will compete in the Semi-Finals and becomes the first new participant since Australia joined in 2015. The contest has run since 1956.

CBC/Radio-Canada’s upgrade to full EBU membership on June 25, 2026, followed a vote at the union’s 96th General Assembly in Prague. The broadcaster had been an associate member since 1950, and the new status makes Canada eligible to submit an entry. CBC/Radio-Canada will reveal later in 2026 how the Canadian act will be selected.

Canadian viewers and fans already showed up in force in 2026: Canada ranked in the Top 3 countries in the Rest of the World vote, and Canadians were among the largest ticket-buyers outside Europe, with many traveling to Vienna for the semi-finals and grand final.

Marie-Philippe Bouchard, CBC/Radio-Canada’s president and chief executive: “The move would bring the world’s largest live music event to Canadians and put Canadian talent on a major international stage.” Martin Green, the EBU’s director, cited Canada’s long Eurovision connection and to Céline Dion, who won for Switzerland in 1988, as well as later Canadian contestants Natasha St-Pier for France in 2001 and La Zarra for France in 2023.

Canada is not the first country outside Europe to reach the contest. Israel and Morocco have both competed, and Australia was added in 2015 by special permission from the EBU through the Special Broadcasting Service.