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Singing for Switzerland, Canadian superstar Celine Dion won the Eurovision song when it was held in Dublin in 1988.
Alamy Stock Photo
oh canada
Canada (yes, Canada!) has officially joined the Eurovision Song Contest
Yes, we imagine Canada is aware it is not in Europe.
IT’S STILL LOOKING unlikely Ireland will return anytime soon, but organisers of the Eurovision have confirmed this afternoon that Canada is to enter the song contest and will send an act to next year’s event in Bulgaria.
“The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and its newest Member CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s national public broadcaster, are excited to announce that Canada will participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria,” a press release said.
Canada is the first new country to join the Eurovision since Australia joined (initially as a planned one-off move) in 2015 and will compete in the weekday semi-finals when its act joins the competition next year.
The EBU said that CBC/Radio-Canada “will unveil details on how Canada’s entry will be selected later this year”.
The North American nation became eligible to compete after the state broadcaster became a full member of the EBU last week. It had previously been an associate member.
EBU membership is a requirement to compete at the Eurovision.
Although Canada has never formally competed in the Eurovision Song Contest, Canadian artists have previously taken part, and even won.
In 1988, Céline Dion, originally from Quebec, won the competition in Dublin representing Switzerland. Her victory proved to be a major breakthrough, launching her international career.
Ireland and four other nations (Spain, Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland) boycotted this year’s contest in protest over the inclusion of Israel in the line up.
Speaking in the wake of this year’s contest RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst said he believed that as things stood there was “no reason” to revisit the broadcaster’s stance on the contest.
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