Intervision 2026
International music competition
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Intervision 2026 (Arabic: إنترفيجن 2026; Russian: Интервидение 2026)[8][9] is an upcoming international song competition to take place in September 2026.[1][10][11] It is set to be the next edition of the revival of the Intervision Song Contest following its relaunch in 2025, despite having a different organiser, format and set of participating countries compared to the original run.[a] The contest will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.[1][13][14]
- September 2026[1]
- Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia[4][5]
- Foundation for the Preservation and Support of Cultural Heritage and the Development of National and World Culture "Traditions of Art"[6][7]
| Intervision 2026 إنترفيجن 2026 Интервидение 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | |
| Final |
|
| Venue | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia[2][3] |
| Organisation | |
| Organiser |
|
| Participants (provisional; as of May 2026[update]) | |
| Intend on participating | 4 |
| |
On 18 February 2026, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov confirmed in an interview with Al Arabiya, that the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman following an exchange of messages with Russian President Vladimir Putin came to an agreement that the next competition in 2026 will be held in Saudi Arabia, and named the responsible personnel.[15][16][17]
Location
In June 2025, Mikhail Shvydkoy, a member of the organising committee of Intervision 2025, stated that a second edition of the contest could be hosted the following year in China, adding that "holding the competition in different countries is part of the very concept of Intervision".[18]
On 20 September 2025, during the final of Intervision 2025, it was announced that the 2026 edition would be hosted in Saudi Arabia,[19] after Saudi authorities expressed their readiness to organise the event as part of their Saudi Vision 2030 strategic framework.[20][21][22] Several days later, it was announced that the contest would be held in Riyadh.[2][3]
On 19 March 2026, Shvydkoy stated that Saudi officials confirmed to him that the event would not be cancelled despite the Iran war.[23][24] On 3 April, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia had suspended contacts with Saudi Arabia regarding the contest, but they hope that once the situation in the Persian Gulf stabilizes, these contacts would resume and preparations for this year's edition would continue.[25][26]
Production and format
Konstantin Ernst, CEO of Channel One Russia, confirmed in an interview with RIA Novosti that the broadcaster is ready to help Saudi Arabia in hosting the contest in 2026, if necessary.[27][28][29]
On 3 June 2026, Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aleksandr Pankin confirmed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently in the process of working on key organizational issues and determining the specific dates for the event, which will be announced soon.[30][31][32]
On 13 June 2026, the Syrian online magazine Al Mjhar reported, citing sources close to the organisers of Intervision 2026, that the introduction of a global televoting system was under consideration. According to the report, viewers worldwide would be able to cast their votes through digital platforms. The organisers were also reportedly considering the introduction of an "Intervision Week", a multi-day programme of events accompanying the contest. The proposed format would include special concerts, social gatherings, music conferences and festivals, expanding the event beyond a single final show.[33] The organisers have not yet commented publicly on these reports.
Provisional list of participants
Other countries
Egypt – On 3 April 2026, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov stated during a press conference, held after talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, that Russia hopes Egypt will participate in the Intervision 2026.[25][26]
Thailand – On 24 November 2025, during a meeting with Thai Minister of Culture Sabida Thaiseth, Russian Ambassador to Thailand Yevgeniy Tomikhin officially invited the Government of Thailand to participate in Intervision 2026.[39][40] The representatives of the country has not yet commented on whether they intend to accept the invitation.
Vietnam – On 25 September 2025, during a farewell press conference held at Sheremetyevo International Airport, 2025 winner Đức Phúc stated that he would like to represent Vietnam again in 2026.[41][42][43] The confirmation of country's participation in 2026 is pending.
Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexey Overchuk invited all APEC countries whose representatives were present at APEC South Korea 2025 to participate in Intervision 2026. These include:[44]
Australia
Brunei
Canada
Chile
China
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Singapore
South Korea
Taiwan
United States
Broadcasts
Notes
- The Intervision Song Contest was organised by the International Radio and Television Organisation (OIRT), which was effectively dissolved with the fall of communism and incorporated into the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in 1993, between 1965 and 1980. The 2025 revival was organised, among others, by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in direct response to the exclusion of Russia from the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, with no acknowledgement or involvement from the EBU or its member broadcasters, although several participating broadcasters were original members of the OIRT.[12]
