Canada will make its debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, marking one of the most significant expansions in the competition’s recent history.
The European Broadcasting Union and CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s national public broadcaster, confirmed on Wednesday, 1 July, that the country will take part in the 71st edition of the contest, to be held in Bulgaria next year.
The announcement, made on Canada Day, follows CBC/Radio-Canada’s recent admission as a full EBU Member — a move that has cleared the way for the broadcaster to enter the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time.
Canada becomes the first new country to join the competition since Australia made its debut in Vienna in 2015. Unlike Australia, which has participated as an invited associate member, Canada will compete through a broadcaster that now holds full EBU membership.
According to the EBU, Canada will take part in the semi-finals and will not receive an automatic place in the Grand Final. CBC/Radio-Canada is expected to announce later this year how its first Eurovision entry will be selected.
The broadcaster described Eurovision as a major global platform for Canadian talent, with the country’s entry set to perform on one of the world’s most watched live music stages.
Canada could host Eurovision if it wins
Canada’s full EBU membership also opens the door to a potentially historic scenario: if the country wins the Eurovision Song Contest, the contest could be held on Canadian soil.
Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, has indicated that Canada would be able to host the event in the event of victory, without needing the kind of special arrangement previously envisaged for Australia.
Such an outcome would represent a major moment in Eurovision history. Although the contest was founded in Europe, it has previously been staged outside the European continent, most notably in Jerusalem in 1979, 1999 and 2019. Other host countries, including Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia, are transcontinental nations spanning Europe and Asia.
Canada’s participation reflects the increasingly international reach of Eurovision, a contest that has long extended beyond strict geographical definitions of Europe.
Growing Canadian interest in Eurovision
The announcement comes amid rising interest in the Eurovision Song Contest among Canadian viewers. According to the EBU, Canada ranked among the top three countries in the “Rest of the World” vote at the 70th edition of the contest in 2026.
Canadian fans were also among the largest groups of ticket buyers from outside Europe, with many travelling to Vienna for the semi-finals and Grand Final.
Marie-Philippe Bouchard, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, said the country’s participation would allow Canadian culture and musical talent to reach a wider international audience.
“On this Canada Day, as we celebrate with Canadians across the country and around the world the richness and diversity of Canadian culture, we’re so excited to confirm that we’re bringing the world’s largest live music event to Canadians.
“Our participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, starting next year in Bulgaria, will allow Canadian talent to be showcased on one of the most storied music stages in the world. It will also allow fans in Canada to continue watching and voting in the Song Contest, as they have done for years — with the added thrill of seeing their own country represented on the Eurovision stage.”
Marie-Philippe Bouchard, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada
Martin Green CBE welcomed CBC/Radio-Canada to the contest, describing Canada’s debut as another sign of Eurovision’s global pull.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome CBC/Radio-Canada to the Eurovision Song Contest family — a further sign that, while born in Europe, the Contest continues to welcome the world.
“Canada has a proud and memorable connection to the Contest, with Canadian artists, not least 1988 winner Céline Dion, having taken to our stage many times leaving a lasting mark on audiences around the world.
“With CBC/Radio-Canada now able to participate in the Contest as a full EBU Member, we look forward to seeing Canada bring its own voice, creativity, and energy to the Eurovision Song Contest stage in Bulgaria in 2027.”
Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest
Canada and the Eurovision Song Contest
Canada’s relationship with Eurovision stretches back several decades, even though the country has never previously competed in the main contest.
In 2022, the EBU announced plans for a Eurovision Canada format, around the time of the American Song Contest. The project, however, did not ultimately come to fruition.
Canadian audiences have also had occasional access to Eurovision broadcasts over the years. CBC first aired the contest in 1990, while the 1998 edition in Birmingham was also shown in Canada. The event later returned to Canadian screens through OuTtv in 2014 and 2015, and OMNI Television broadcast the contest in 2019 and 2021.
Canada has also taken part in other EBU events. In 1987, Stephen Legate represented the country at the Eurovision Young Dancers competition, becoming the first participant from an EBU associate member to appear in one of the organisation’s televised competitions. Canada returned to the same event in 1989 with Cherice Barton.
Several Canadian artists have appeared on the Eurovision stage while representing other countries. They include Sherisse Laurence for Switzerland in 1986, Annie Cotton for Switzerland in 1993, Natasha St-Pier for France in 2001, Rykka for Switzerland in 2016, Katerine Duska for Greece in 2019 and La Zarra for France in 2023.
The most famous Canadian name in Eurovision history remains Céline Dion, who won the 1988 contest for Switzerland with “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi”. Her victory became one of the defining early moments of her international career.
Bulgaria prepares to host Eurovision 2027
The Eurovision Song Contest 2027 will be held in Bulgaria following the country’s first victory in the competition.
DARA won the 70th edition of the contest in Vienna with “Bangaranga”, scoring 516 points and finishing first with both the national juries and the public vote. It was the first time since Portugal’s victory in Kyiv in 2017 that the same act topped both sides of the scoreboard.
Bulgaria’s win gives broadcaster BNT the right to host the 71st Eurovision Song Contest. It will not be the first Eurovision event held in the country, as Bulgaria previously hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2015.
The Bulgarian government and BNT have begun preparations for the event, with Burgas, Plovdiv, Sofia and Varna among the cities that have expressed interest in hosting. The host city, venue and dates are expected to be announced in the coming months.
The 2027 contest will also take shape against a complex political and broadcasting backdrop. After the boycott of several countries in 2026 over Israel’s participation, the EBU faces the possibility of further debate around the line-up for next year’s edition.
At the same time, the contest could see a broader field of participants. North Macedonia has confirmed its return, while Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary have also been mentioned as possible returning countries. Canada’s arrival, together with potential future debuts linked to new EBU membership categories, points to a Eurovision Song Contest continuing to expand beyond its traditional borders.