Russia's Intervision Song Contest will not take place in 2026

Russia's alternative to Eurovision, the Intervision Song Contest, will not take place in 2026, with the competition potentially postponed until 2027.

Russian state news agency TASS reported on 24 October that the contest would not go ahead in Saudi Arabia this year, citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation.

The source said a "combination of circumstances" had made it impossible to stage the event in Saudi Arabia, with a proposal to instead hold the competition in 2027.

Saudi Arabia was announced as the host of the 2026 contest during the inaugural edition of the revived Intervision in Moscow in September 2025.

However, doubts about the event had emerged earlier this year.

In August, a source in Riyadh told TASS that there were no guarantees the contest would take place, with its dates, participants and programme remaining unclear.

According to The Moscow Times, Saudi officials had also indicated that Russia had not formally transferred responsibility for organising the competition.

Saudi Arabia had not publicly confirmed dates or details for the contest.

There has been no official announcement of a replacement host or confirmation of plans for 2027.

Russia's alternative to Eurovision

Intervision was revived by the Russian government following the country's exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) excluded Russia from the competition, stating that its participation could bring Eurovision into disrepute.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree in February 2025 ordering the revival of Intervision, a Soviet-era song competition that had previously been held in Eastern Europe.

The Russian government allocated 750 million rubles, approximately US$9.3 million, towards staging the 2025 event.

The revived contest took place in Moscow on 20 September 2025, with organisers reporting participation from 22 countries.

Vietnam's Duc Phuc won the competition, with Kyrgyzstan's Nomad finishing second and Qatar's Dana Al Meer in third.

Russia was represented by Shaman, a singer known for his support of Putin and the Russian government's invasion of Ukraine.

The latest development leaves the future of the Russian-backed competition uncertain, just over a year after its revival.

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