Canada considers joining Eurovision — a move that could reshape the global identity of the contest

Canada may be preparing for a historic leap into Eurovision, according to a striking detail hidden in the newly released 500-page federal budget under Prime Minister Mark Carney. The document confirms that Ottawa is “currently examining, together with CBC/Radio-Canada, the possibility of participating in Eurovision,” a discovery first highlighted by Fabien Randanne, a well-known Eurovision analyst at 20 Minutes.

Although Canada has never competed in Eurovision since the contest began in 1956, Canadian artists have already shaped its history. Céline Dion famously won in 1988 representing Switzerland. In 2001, New Brunswick’s Natasha St-Pier secured fourth place while representing France. More recently, Montreal’s La Zarra represented France in 2023 with “Évidemment”, finishing 16th and triggering mixed reactions.

Canada’s entry would not violate the contest’s rules. Eurovision has long stopped being an exclusively European event. Australia joined in 2015; Morocco participated in 1980; and Russia took part from 1994 until its exclusion following the invasion of Ukraine.
The contest is evolving — geographically, politically, and culturally — and Canada’s potential arrival would mark the first participation of a North American country.

But the 2026 edition is already shaping up to be one of the most politically turbulent. For the third consecutive year, Israel’s presence has led to calls for a boycott. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland, Norway and Slovenia argue that Israel should be excluded due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Austria and Germany oppose the boycott, calling it “pointless and counterproductive.”
The European Broadcasting Union postponed the vote on Israel’s participation to December, citing “recent developments in the Middle East.”

Meanwhile, Romania is set to return to the contest in 2026 after a two-year absence — a symbolic comeback for the event’s 70th anniversary.

For Canada, Eurovision could become a powerful cultural-diplomacy tool, expanding CBC’s international profile and reinforcing the country’s soft-power ambitions. But the move also positions Canada within a deeply polarized cultural landscape, where music, politics and identity increasingly intersect.

If officially approved, Canada would be the first nation from North America to enter the competition, raising the most important question:
Is Eurovision still a European contest, or is it transforming into a global cultural empire?

The answer — and Canada’s role in it — may become clear in 2026.