Canada joins Eurovision Song Contest from 2027 after EBU membership
Consensus Summary
Canada will debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, marking its first participation since Australia joined in 2015. The announcement came after CBC/Radio-Canada became a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), fulfilling eligibility requirements. Eurovision 2027 will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, following Daraâs victory in 2026 with *Bangaranga*. The contest faced a boycott in 2026 by five countriesâSpain, Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Sloveniaâover Israelâs inclusion, reducing viewership from 160 million in 2025 to 130â131 million. Canadaâs entry will be selected through a process to be detailed later this year, with CBC emphasizing the platform for Canadian artists. Historically, Canadian talent like CĂ©line Dion (Switzerland, 1988) and Natasha St-Pier (France, 2001) have competed under other flags, while the EBUâs global membership allows non-European nations to participate. Despite controversies, Eurovisionâs expansion continues, with plans for a regional Asia edition in Bangkok later this year.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Canada will compete in Eurovision 2027, becoming the first new participant since Australia in 2015
- Eurovision 2027 will be held in Bulgaria, after Dara won Eurovision 2026 with the song *Bangaranga*
- CBC/Radio-Canada announced Canadaâs participation on July 1, 2026, coinciding with Canada Day
- Canada joined the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) as a full member, enabling Eurovision participation
- Eurovision 2026 was won by Bulgariaâs Dara in Vienna, with 35 participating countries and 130â131 million viewers
- CĂ©line Dion won Eurovision 1988 for Switzerland with *Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi* (Donât Leave Without Me)
- Five countries (Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia) boycotted Eurovision 2026 over Israelâs participation, reducing viewership by 35 million from 2025 (160M to 131M)
- Eurovision director Martin Green stated: *âWhile born in Europe, the contest continues to welcome the worldâ*
- CBC/Radio-Canada president Marie-Philippe Bouchard said participation will *âallow Canadian talent to be showcased on one of the most storied music stages in the worldâ*
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Australiaâs Delta Goodrem finished fourth in Eurovision 2026 with *Eclipse*, despite being a favorite
- Canada was in the top three nations choosing their favorites in the Rest of the World vote during Eurovision 2026
- Many Canadians bought tickets for Eurovision 2026 in Austria, making them one of the largest non-European ticket-buying groups
- Natasha St-Pier (New Brunswick) and La Zarra (Quebec) previously represented France in Eurovision 2001 and 2023, respectively
- SBS (Australiaâs broadcaster) is an associate EBU member, which enabled Australiaâs original invitation in 2015
- Canadaâs participation aligns with its recent diplomatic alignment with the EU, including Prime Minister Mark Carneyâs support for Greenland against Trumpâs annexation threats
- Eurovision Song Contest Asia, a spin-off, is set to take place in Bangkok in November 2026
- The 2026 Eurovision final featured 35 countries, with viewership at 130 million (Guardian) vs. 131 million (ABC)
- Former French culture minister called Eurovision *âa monument to drivelâ*
- Canadaâs entry selection process details will be announced later in 2026 by CBC
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian reports Eurovision 2026 had 130 million viewers, while ABC reports 131 million viewers
- ABC states Eurovision 2025 had 166 million viewers (implied by 35M drop to 131M), but Guardian states 160 million viewers in 2025
- ABC mentions Canada was among the top three in the Rest of the World vote during Eurovision 2026, but Guardian does not reference this detail
Source Articles
Canada becomes latest country to join Eurovision Song Contest
While Canadian CĂ©line Dion gave Switzerland its second Eurovision victory in 1988, next year will be the first time Canada competes in the song contest.
Canada to âjoin Eurovision song contest from 2027
Country is first to join since Australia in 2015 as event director says it âcontinues to welcome the worldâ Canada will âjoin the Eurovision song contest in 2027, becoming the first new â participant since Australia in 2015, organisers have announced. Participation is not limited to countries in geographic Europe and instead is open to all members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which Canada joined last week. Australia is an associate member. Continue reading...