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Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE has officially launched the submission window for Benidorm Fest 2026, marking the fifth edition of the country’s Eurovision selection show. From June 5 to September 24, artists, composers, and producers can submit their entries via the official RTVE website.
This year’s edition introduces several significant changes aimed at enhancing the competition’s professionalism and appeal. Notably, the winning entry will receive a substantial prize of €150,000, with €100,000 allocated to the performer(s) and €50,000 to the songwriters. Additionally, the songwriters will retain full rights to the song’s publishing royalties.
For the first time, Benidorm Fest will feature a dedicated creative director and team responsible for overseeing the staging and artistic direction of each performance. This initiative aims to ensure a cohesive and high-quality visual presentation across all acts.
The voting system has also been revised to include a 50% jury vote and a 50% public vote. The public vote is equally divided between televoting (via phone calls and SMS) and a demoscopic jury, which is a statistically selected sample of the Spanish population.
These updates come in response to controversies from previous editions, particularly the 2025 contest, where winner Melody faced criticism for appearing on rival networks shortly after her victory. To address this, RTVE has implemented a clause restricting the winner from participating in non-RTVE media appearances until two months after Eurovision 2026, unless expressly authorized by RTVE.
Benidorm Fest 2026 will continue with its format of two semi-finals and a grand final, with the possibility of expanding the number of participants from 16 to 20, depending on the quality of submissions.
As Spain prepares for Eurovision 2026 in Austria, these enhancements to Benidorm Fest aim to solidify the country’s commitment to showcasing top-tier musical talent on the international stage.
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