Eurovision 2026: Meet Portugal’s Bandidos do Cante and their song Rosa

We profile the 2026 entry from Portugal including details on the artist, song, how it was chosen, odds, fan reaction and how the nation has fared at Eurovision.

Portugal has been a Eurovision mainstay since its debut in 1964, missing only five Contests over the years. However, despite the country's 56 appearances to date, Salvador Sobral is the only Portuguese entrant to lift the coveted crystal microphone trophy, sweeping all other competitors aside in 2017 with Amar pelos dois, written by his sister Luísa. Since then, Portugal has missed the Grand Final just once in 2019. 

NAPA’s melancholic song, Deslocado, finished 21st in the Grand Final last year, and helped Portugal secure its fifth qualification in a row: their longest qualification streak since the semi-final was introduced to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004. 

Despite its placement in last year’s Grand Final, Deslocado became a significant global success, charting across the world (particularly in Latin America) and surpassing 125 million streams on Spotify since its release.

In 2026, Portugal will be represented by Bandidos do Cante, who will be hoping to continue their country's qualification streak and commercial success with the song Rosa.

2026 entry: Rosa

·       Bandidos do Cante will perform 5th in the first semi-final

·       My Eurovision Scoreboard ranking: 33rd

·       Odds to win ranking: 31st  

(Rankings as of 14 April 2026)

About the artist

The all-male five-piece Bandidos do Cante hail from Beja in the Alentejo region, which covers south-central and southern Portugal.  The quintet is made up of Miguel Costa, Duarte Farias, Francisco Raboso, Luís Aleixo, and Francisco Pestana. 

The group is well-known for its fusion of Cante Alentejano, a traditional way of singing in Alentejo (recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity), intertwined with contemporary pop.  They argue that music should serve to bring people together in times of conflict, focusing on representing their roots.

Their group name, which translates to “outlaws of (traditional Alentejano) singing” in English, was first adopted by the band after they had collaborated with Portuguese pop band, D.A.M.A. on the song Casa in 2022.

Bandidos do Cante released their first official single in 2024, with the radio hit Amigos Coloridos (a playful term for Friends with Benefits in English), which peaked at number 9 on the Portuguese iTunes chart.  They released their debut album titled Bairro das Flores in January 2026, peaking at number 21 on the Portuguese charts, before hitting the Festival da Canção stage in February 2026 with Rosa. 

L-R: Francisco Raposo, Miguel Costa, Duarte Farias, Francisco Pestana (front), Luís Aleixo.

Image: Instagram @bandidosdocante 

Here is Bandidos do Cante’s first solo single, Amigos Coloridos (or Friends with Benefits in English):

About the song

Rosa, or Rose in English, is written by all members of Bandidos do Cante, as well as Francisco Pereira, Gonçalo Narciso, Gui Alface, and José Carlos Coelho Almeida Tavares.

Lyrically, it is from the band’s perspective, as they wistfully reflect on lost love, longing, and nurturing memories through the metaphor of an overgrown garden they neglected to care for.

Musically, it blends the elements of Cante Alentejano with sparse, atmospheric instrumentation, and a slow build to a powerful crescendo.

With its reflective lyrics combining with their musicality, Rosa has been described as a folk-song lullaby that you could hear sung at a Portuguese get-together, being a genuine representation of the fusion of Cante Alentejano and pop balladry.  Others have said that it stands out in this year’s Contest as a “breath of fresh air” as a peaceful, authentic, and emotionally resonant ballad in amongst the pomp and pop noise of the other songs.

How were Bandidos do Cante chosen for Eurovision?

Festival da Canção (FdC), a staple of the national final season, was again the format used to select Portugal's 2026 Eurovision representative.  It was held over three weekends and consisted of two semi-finals (which took place on 21 and 28 February) and a final of 12 acts (which took place on 7 March).  This year was the 60th edition of the show.

It was a controversial edition of Festival da Canção this year, with many contestants announcing that they would refuse to participate at Eurovision in the event that they won the national final in protest of Israel's ongoing participation in the Contest. Bandidos do Conte was one of only a handful of participating acts to say that they would represent Portugal at the Contest had they won this edition of Festival da Canção.

In their official Instagram (@bandidosdocante), they wrote (translated from Portuguese):

“If one day the public and the jury decide that one of our songs should win, we will represent Portugal with responsibility, respect and dignity.  We will carry with us what defines us: Alentejano singing, our roots, our friendship and the dream of taking the Alentejo region to the four corners of the world.  Always in a positive way, with a spirit of unity and with the awareness that music can bring people closer together when the world so often pushes in the opposite direction…  We defend all artists, all forms of expression and all conscious choices. There is room for everyone.  We believe that, essentially, we share the same desire: a more humane, more supportive world, with more music and, above all, peace."

Despite finishing sixth with the jury, Bandidos do Cante won the second semi-final by winning the televote.

In the final, Bandidos do Cante faced stiff competition from the first semi-final winner, Dinis Mota’s Jurei.  Performing first in the final, Bandidos do Cante won Festival da Canção by finishing second with the jury and first in the televote.  They accepted the invitation to go to Vienna for this year’s Contest the following day.

Portugal will perform 5th in the first semi-final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest on 12 May 2026 in Vienna.

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