Canada has been granted entry to the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 2027, marking the country's competition debut. The announcement was made by CBC/Radio-Canada following its recent membership in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which opened the door for Canada to participate as a non-European entrant.
Canada's Path to Eurovision
The Canadian national broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada, became a full member of the EBU last week, enabling the country to join the contest. Canada will compete in the semi-finals of the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held in Bulgaria after Bulgaria's representative Dara won the 2026 edition with her track Bangaranga. The process for selecting Canada's entry will be revealed in due course.
Marie-Philippe Bouchard, president and chief executive of CBC/Radio-Canada, said: "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."
Expanding the Eurovision Family
Canada becomes the first new nation to join Eurovision since Australia in 2015. Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said: "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 long held ties to Eurovision. Most notably, Céline Dion triumphed at Eurovision 1988 representing Switzerland with "Ne partez pas sans moi". Prior to Canada's admission, Australia had been competing since 2015 despite holding only associate membership of the EBU. Israel, meanwhile, has participated since 1973, having been a full EBU member since 1957.
Controversy and Context
Israel's involvement in Eurovision has come under intense scrutiny. Human rights organisation Amnesty International condemned the EBU for its refusal to suspend Israel over its actions in Gaza, as it had done with Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, branding the decision an act of "cowardice" and a "blatant double standard".
Several protests erupted over Israel's inclusion in the song contest at this year's event in Austria, while Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia chose to boycott the competition altogether.
Looking Ahead to 2027
This year's Eurovision Song Contest was claimed by Bulgaria's representative Dara, meaning the 2027 contest will be held in Bulgaria for the very first time. Canada's participation marks a significant expansion of the contest's global reach, following in the footsteps of Australia and other non-European participants.
