The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 continues to fine-tune its preparations for the big night. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Public Broadcasting Services (PBS Malta) have presented the details of the stage design that will bring the contest to life, together with the release of the official theme art of the 24th edition.
The Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre in Ta’ Qali (Malta) will host the stage of the children’s contest, which will take place on Saturday 24 October from 21:00 CEST. For the occasion, the venue will be transformed with a large performance space equipped with the latest audiovisual technology, designed to deliver a show worthy of the competition and bring all the magic of Junior Eurovision to viewers.
According to the first details revealed, the stage will combine innovation and symbolism in a design inspired by Malta’s rich festive heritage. It will merge traditional elements with the dynamism of cutting-edge technology, creating a spectacular setting for the performances of the 16 young artists who will compete for the coveted crystal microphone.
It is a space that will bring to the stage the essence of the traditional celebrations of Malta. The stage follows the line of the artistic concept presented for this edition and takes as its main source of inspiration the Maltese festa, one of the most characteristic cultural traditions of the country. Under the invitation “Join the Festa”, the production aims to turn the venue into a big visual celebration in which Maltese identity will be present throughout the show.
A stage inspired by Malta’s festive streets
The design presented by broadcaster PBS places at its centre a large stage surrounded by architectural elements inspired by the streetscapes of Maltese towns and villages. The main visual references include colourful façades and traditional Maltese balconies, easily recognisable features of the archipelago’s architecture that take on a new dimension on the Junior Eurovision stage.
In this way, the familiar images of village celebrations in Malta become part of the stage architecture itself. The decorative elements of the Maltese festa thus move from the streets to the contest’s international stage.
The stage design is part of a much broader concept that will be present in different areas of the production. The Maltese festa will be the common thread of the visual identity of Junior Eurovision 2026, inspiring not only the stage but also the lighting and various details of the broadcast.
Traditional celebrations in Malta are known for their decorated streets, ornate façades, flags, band music, processions and a great explosion of colour. All these elements will serve as a reference for building the visual universe of the show.
In the renders, colourful, bright, illuminated arches, which echo the characteristic tent-like roof of the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre, act as the link between the graphic concept and the staging.
The central space has a circular shape and plays with heights and depths through stepped structures in the middle. In addition to the main stage, the images show a second circular platform connected to it by a catwalk.
The renders also suggest that the traditional green room, where the Junior Eurovision 2026 artists will wait, could be located around the stage, with circular shapes once again taking centre stage.
A unique performance space where every entry can create its own world
Despite its strong Maltese inspiration, the stage has been designed to offer flexibility to the different delegations. The intention is that each young artist can transform the space and develop their own staging. The concept will allow the contest’s common identity to be combined with different styles, colours and visual worlds. So, although the stage architecture is linked to Malta, each performance will be able to have a distinct personality.
This combination of local tradition and creative freedom will be one of the production’s main challenges: making the stage recognisable as part of Malta 2026, while being able to adapt to the needs of the different entries.
With this design, Malta aims to take part of its most popular culture to an international audience. The Maltese festa is no longer just the aesthetic starting point but becomes the heart of the visual concept of Junior Eurovision 2026.
The architecture, lighting and scenic details will be connected to the celebrations that bring Maltese towns and villages to life every year. At the same time, the stage will be ready to deliver the scale, emotion and spectacle that a major international music event requires.
The proposal therefore seeks to strike a balance between Maltese roots and television spectacle, using traditional elements from a modern perspective adapted to the children’s and family audience of Junior Eurovision.
Where will Junior Eurovision 2026 take place? Discover the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC) in Ta’ Qali
The Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC) is Malta’s largest conference and exhibition venue and one of the leading event spaces in the Mediterranean. It is located in Ta’ Qali, a strategic area in the centre of the island, with good road access and close to major sports and leisure facilities.
The complex was conceived to meet the growing demand for spaces able to host large national and international events. Its main hall is a tensile fabric structure offering an indoor area of around 8,500 square metres, which gives great flexibility for organising all kinds of events.
The venue can host anything from small business meetings to conferences, trade exhibitions, sector fairs, concerts, shows, indoor sporting events, official ceremonies and corporate celebrations. Its capacity exceeds 10,000 people, depending on the requirements of each show.
Its facilities include large exhibition areas, auxiliary rooms for meetings and conferences, catering areas and advanced technical services for lighting, sound and audiovisual production. The versatility of its design means the venue can be quickly transformed to suit the specific needs of each event.
Over the years, the MFCC has hosted major international conferences, trade fairs, cultural festivals and large-scale concerts, helping to position Malta as a destination for business and events tourism. It is also the venue of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest, Malta’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, in its recent editions.
The EBU and Maltese public broadcaster PBS chose this venue for its capacity to host major international events and its experience in staging top-level music shows.
For the occasion, the MFCC will be transformed into a big “Eurovision Festa Village”, inspired by the traditional Maltese village feasts, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. The goal is to combine Malta’s Mediterranean identity with a modern and spectacular production, creating a festive atmosphere for the young artists and the participating delegations.