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ERR, the Estonian public broadcaster, has announced submissions for Eesti Laul 2026 will open this Friday — and, crucially, that Eesti Laul will not be cancelled regardless of Estonian participation (or otherwise) in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Speaking to news outlet Delfi, ERR’s Head of Entertainment Karmel Killandi said the broadcaster is in “close contact with the EBU” over wider discussions about Eurovision participation. But while other countries are threatening conditional withdrawals, Estonia has made it clear: the national final goes ahead as planned.
A steady ship in choppy waters
The announcement comes amid a storm of uncertainty for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna. Several broadcasters — including Spain’s RTVE, Ireland’s RTÉ, and the Netherlands’ AVROTROS — have publicly tied their participation to Israel’s status in the contest, with others threatening to withdraw if the EBU confirms Israel’s place in the line-up.
ERR’s stance provides a rare point of clarity: Eesti Laul will return, and Estonia is preparing to select its entry in the usual way. Exact details of the format — number of semi-finals, voting balance, and final date — have not yet been published, but ERR has promised more information shortly.
