RTP has announced that Edmundo Inácio will perform as a guest at the Portuguese Eurovision selection, Festival da Canção 2026.
Edmundo Inácio has been announced by RTP as the latest guest act performing at Festival da Canção 2026. He will be joining Júlio Resende and Paulo Lapa, who have recently been announced by the Portuguese broadcaster as guest acts in the first Semi-Final.
Edmundo will be paying a tribute to Tonicha’s song “Menina do alto da serra” which won Festival da Canção 55 years ago and represented Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 1971 in Dublin, finishing in 9th place.
Edmundo Inácio is a dedicated artist whose journey is marked by the rediscovery of his passion for traditional Portuguese music. With a rising career, diverse influences, and a deep love for art, Edmundo achieved 2nd place in Festival da Canção in 2023 with “A festa” and soon after released his first album, “Vai-se Andando?”. Edmundo’s influences are varied and profound. Nationally, he admires figures such as Amália Rodrigues and António Variações, who revolutionized Portuguese music. Internationally, great names like Freddie Mercury, Ney Matogrosso, Paul McCartney, and Fairuz have shaped his artistic vision.
Festival da Canção 2026 will consist of two semi-finals on February 21 and February 28 and a final on March 7. All three nights will take place for the sixth consecutive year at the Valentim de Carvalho studios in Lisbon. The line-up for the semi-finals is as follows:
Semi-Final One – February 21
- AGRIDOCE – “Onde quero estar” (Where I want to be)
- André Amaro – “Dá-me a tua mão” (Give me your hand)
- Bateu Matou – “Nos teus olhos” (In your eyes)
- Dinis Mota – “Jurei” (I swore)
- Evaya – “Sprint”
- Marquise – “Chuva” (Rain)
- Mario Marta – “Pertencer” (Belong)
- Nunca Mates o Mandarim – “Fumo” (Smoke)
Semi-Final Two – February 28
- Bandidos do Cante – “Rosa” (Rose)
- Francisco Fontes – “Copiloto” (Co-pilot)
- Gonçalo Gomes – “Doce ilusão” (Sweet illusion)
- Inês Sousa – “O filme ao contrário” (The movie in reverse)
- Jacaréu & Ana Margarida – “O-pi-ni-ão” (Opinion)
- João Ribeiro – “Canção do querer” (Song of desire)
- Sandrino – “Disposto a tudo” (Willing to do anything)
- Silvana Peres – “Não tem fim” (There’s no end)
RTP also revealed that Vasco Palmeirim will host the 1st semi-final, while Filomena Cautela will host the 2nd semi-final. Catarina Maia and Alexandre Guimarães will report from the Green Room for all the three shows. Vasco Palmeirim and Filomena Cautela will also present the Grand Final, marking their eighth consecutive year hosting the final night of Festival da Canção.
NAPA represented Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song “Deslocado”. They finished in 21st place with 50 points.
Source: RTP
Portugal debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964 represented by António Calvário. The country finished last, scoring nul points. Before 2017, Portugal’s best result was 6th place, which came in 1996 when Lúcia Moniz performed “O meu coração não tem cor” in Oslo. In 2017, Salvador Sobral took home the crystal microphone with his song “Amar pelos dois”, ending a 53-year wait for a Portuguese win. The 2018 contest was held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon for the first time.
