Ukraine has confirmed its participation in the 2026 Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Ukraine will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest for Children in 2026. Singer and songwriter Svitlana Tarabarova will serve as the music producer for the national selection for the third time; she has previously been responsible for preparing Ukraine’s contestants.
Public Broadcasting announced that it will soon begin accepting applications.
This year’s participation will mark Ukraine’s 20th appearance at the international contest.
In 2026, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest will take place in October in Malta. Talented performers aged 9 to 14 from across Europe and other countries will participate.
"This year, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest will take place earlier than usual. Since the international contest is scheduled for October, the national selection final is also expected to take place earlier, in September. We are already preparing many surprises for the participants of this year’s national selection. The call for applications will be announced shortly. We look forward to receiving applications from talented children who dream of the big stage. Let’s keep dreaming big,” said Oksana Skibinska, head of the Ukrainian delegation.
"The journey to Malta begins with a simple application to the contest. I’m waiting and preparing alongside you to surprise the world," noted Tarabarova.
This year’s Junior Eurovision will take place on October 24 at the MFCC hall in the village of Ta’ Qali, which will be transformed into a vibrant Eurovision town. The venue will combine the Maltese Festa tradition, recognized by UNESCO, with a spectacular world-class production.
Last year, Lou Deloz won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Ce Monde.” This victory marked France’s fourth win in the contest’s history.
Sofia Nersesyan, who represented Ukraine last year with the song "Motanka," took second place.
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest has been held since 2003. It was created based on the Scandinavian children’s music festival Melodi Grand Prix Nordic. The first contest took place in Copenhagen with 16 countries participating, and the winner was Croatian singer Dino Jelusic with the song "Ti Si Moja Prva Ljubav."
This was reported by Suspilne Culture.
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