RAI, the Italian national broadcaster has confirmed that Italy will participate at the forthcoming 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon.

Italy will more than likely opt to select its Eurovision act and entry via its coveted traditional song festival Sanremo. The country has a long tradition of sending its Sanremo singers/winners to Eurovision.

In 2017 Francesco Gabbani took Italy by storm and walked away with the Sanremo trophy and flew to Kyiv to represent Italy at Europe’s favorite television show. Despite being the hot favorite to bag the Grand Prix he achieved an honorable 6th place with his mega hit Occidentali’s Karma.

Italy in Eurovision

Italy is one of the founder members of the Eurovision Song Contest having debuted in the very first contest in Lugano back in 1956. The country has won the competition twice (1964, 1990). Italy has sent some of its most celebrated singers to the contest: Domenico Modugno, Albano and Romina Power, Toto Cotugno, Gianni Morandi, Fausto Leali, Umberto Tozzi, Marco Mengoni, Nina Zilli, Ana Oxa, Mattia Bazaar, Gigliola Cinquetti, Franco Battiato, Luca Barbarossa, Il Volo, Emma Marrone etc.

Italy withdrew from the event in 1997 and after lots of convincing the country was back in the game after a 13 year hiatus. The Italians returned with great honours in 2011 when Raphael Gualazzi came 2nd in Dusseldorf. We can say that Italy is definitely the most succesful country among the BIG 5 as it has achieved 5 TOP 10 placings in the past 7 editions.

Eurovision 2018

The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 8, 10 and 12 in Lisbon, Portugal.

The deadline for broadcasters to officially apply for Eurovision 2018 concludes by mid September. Hereafter, countries have a grace period to confirm their participation or withdraw their application without a penalty.

The final list of the 2018 Eurovision participating countries is expected to be released by the EBU later during the year.