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Montenegro’s broadcaster RTCG has officially confirmed it will be heading to Vienna in 2026, after adopting a fresh Eurovision rulebook during a council meeting on August 25. The General Director declared that participation is “not even in question” – which is exactly the sort of stirring rallying cry you’d expect after finishing stone-cold last in a semi-final.
Montesong 2025: The Sequel Nobody Asked For
For the second consecutive year, RTCG is pinning its hopes on Montesong, the national final format it launched in 2024. The name suggests “song,” the process suggests “committee,” and the result so far suggests “eh.” Still, it’s a step up from no selection at all – and at least it avoids the whiff of déjà vu that “Montevizija” carried.
Rules of Engagement
The guidelines for hopefuls are strict, yet oddly flexible. Performers must be Montenegrin, but songwriters can hail from anywhere (yes, your cousin in Düsseldorf is eligible). Each songwriter gets two shots, and the songs mustn’t have been heard before September 1, 2025 – Eurovision’s eternal “don’t try sneaking in a back catalogue track” clause.
A jury of music makers will hand out up to 100 points per entry – 50 for composition, 30 for lyrics, and 20 for “production potential.” Only songs hitting 75 points make the cut, which means the difference between a Eurovision hopeful and a polite rejection email could come down to whether a line rhymes in a convincing way. Up to 16 entries will advance to Montesong’s stage, where jury and SMS voters will crown a winner.
Of course, RTCG has built in escape hatches. If the submissions are dreadful (and as any seasoned fan of the ‘live auditions’ will know, that’s entirely likely), they’ll just pick something themselves. If the singer isn’t very good, they’ll swap them out. And there’s no rule demanding a majority of Montenegrin lyrics, which suggests the door remains wide open for “balkan ballad in English, verse two in French, chorus in Spanish.”
Timeline: Coming Soon (ish)
Exact dates for submissions and the Montesong final will be confirmed later, but expect an autumn deadline and a late-2025 show.
