LSM, the Latvian public service broadcaster, has confirmed that it will not compete in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
Latvia will not be among the countries competing in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest this October in Malta. LSM confirmed this week that it has no plans to return to the contest, having last competed in the competition 15 years ago. The confirmation comes a year after a statement from LSM, which stated that the broadcaster remains open to participating in the future.
Latvia was one of the countries that competed in the first edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, and it competed annually until 2005. The country returned for two years between 2010 and 2011 and has not competed in the years since.
Junior Eurovision 2026
Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place on October 24 in the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre in Taโ Qali. This will be the third time that Malta will host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, having done so previously in 2014 and 2016.
To date, the following countries have confirmed their intention to compete in the 2026 contest:
- ๐ฆ๐ฑ Albania: Eslin Kurti โ โKรซrce me muaโ
- ๐ฆ๐ฒ Armenia
- ๐จ๐พ Cyprus
- ๐ซ๐ท France
- ๐ฌ๐ช Georgia: Davit Lomidze
- ๐ฎ๐ช Ireland
- ๐ฎ๐น Italy
- ๐ฒ๐น Malta
- ๐ณ๐ฑ Netherlands
- ๐ฒ๐ฐ North Macedonia: Ana Stojanoska โ โIdnata jasโ
- ๐ต๐ฑ Poland: Wiktor Sas
- ๐ต๐น Portugal: Salvador Rio
- ๐บ๐ฆ Ukraine
The following countries, who have previously participated, have declined returning to the contest:
- ๐ฆ๐บ Australia: Last participated in 2016
- ๐ง๐ช Belgium: Last competed in 2012
- ๐ฉ๐ฐ Denmark: Last participated in 2005
- ๐ช๐ช Estonia: Last participated in 2024
- ๐ฉ๐ช Germany: Last participated in 2024
- ๐ฑ๐น Lithuania: Last participated in 2011
- ๐ณ๐ด Norway: Last participated in 2005
- ๐ธ๐ฎ Slovenia: Last participated in 2015
- ๐ธ๐ช Sweden: Last participated in 2014
- ๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom: Last participated in 2023
- ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌWales: Last participated in 2019
The following countries have ruled out debuting in the contest:
- ๐จ๐ฟ Czechia: Never broadcast the contest
- ๐ซ๐ฎ Finland: Last broadcast the contest in 2003
- ๐ฎ๐ธ Iceland: Last broadcast the contest in 2021
Source: LSM
Latvia was one of the 16 countries to take part in the first edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 in Copenhagen. They competed in the contest between 2003 and 2005 and from 2010 to 2011. Latviaโs best result remains their first entry in the contest in 2003. Dzintars ฤฤซฤa placed 9th in Copenhagen with โTu esi vasarฤโ, scoring 37 points.
