Bulgaria selects its representative for Eurovision 2026

After a three-year hiatus, a Bulgarian performer will once again step onto the prestigious Eurovision stage. This will happen on 14 May 2026, during the second semi-final of the song contest in Vienna.

Bulgaria’s representative at the 70th edition of the event will be chosen through a national selection organized by the Bulgarian National Television (BNT).

The casting includes some of the most recognizable names on the Bulgarian music scene: Kerana and the Cosmonauts, Mihaela Marinova, Mihaela Fileva, Molec, Roksana, Fiki, DARA, Dara Ekimova, DIA, Elizabet, Innerglow, MONA, Preyah, VALL, and Veniamin. In fact, these are also among the most frequently broadcast voices on radio and television this calendar year, with a strong presence on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, as well as significant social media metrics, BNT explains.

On the official platform eurovision2026.bg, fans can learn more about each artist through individual profiles featuring biographies and additional information about their participation.

Bulgaria to participate again in Eurovision Song Contest in 2026

The selection of Bulgaria’s representative and song for Eurovision 2026 will take place in three stages, all broadcast live on BNT 1 channel.

The first stage is scheduled for 24 January, when all fifteen artists will perform one song from their own repertoire. A combined vote - from a professional jury and the television audience - will select seven singers to advance to the second stage of the competition. This will also be held live for BNT viewers on 31 January, who will once again be able to actively participate in the voting via the specially created platform.

The song that will represent Bulgaria in Vienna will also be chosen through a competition with the active participation of Bulgarians both at home and abroad. On 28 February, during a live broadcast on BNT, the winner will perform three songs specially created for them, and the vote of the jury and viewers will determine which one Bulgaria will present on the prestigious Eurovision 2026 stage.

The television broadcasts of all three stages of the national selection will air at 9:00 p.m. Bulgarian time. Special guests on the music show on 24 January will be three of Bulgaria’s most successful Eurovision participants over the years - Krisia, Kristian Kostov, and Victoria Georgieva (VICTORIA).

BNT announces how it will select the national representative for Eurovision 2026

Bulgaria has participated in the contest since 2005 and has had several memorable entries that earned Top 5 placements:

2nd place in 2017 - Kristian Kostov with the song “Beautiful Mess”, which remains the country’s highest achievement to date;

4th place in 2016 - Poli Genova with “If Love Was a Crime”, one of the most popular songs in the contest;

5th place in 2007 - Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankulov with “Water”, which captivated audiences with the rhythms of Bulgarian folklore.

And if we go even further back in time to trace Bulgaria’s presence in the contest, we arrive at 1964 when a Bulgarian first stepped onto the Eurovision stage. That year, the Federal Republic of Germany was represented by “Nora Nova”- the stage name of the Bulgarian singer Ahinora Kumanova.

Edited by Elena Karkalanova
English: R. Petkova