Happy New Eurovision Year, babes! It may only be September, but the Eurovision 2027 season officially begins today – meaning songs released from now on can be eligible to compete in Burgas next May.
Put the summer playlists away, babes. Eurovision 2027 officially starts today.
The arrival of 1 September 2026 marks the beginning of a new Eurovision Song Contest season, as songs released or publicly performed from today become eligible to compete at next year’s Contest in Burgas, Bulgaria.
Yes, we know.
It’s September.
There are still approximately eight months until the Grand Final.
But in Eurovision time? We are officially back in business.
Why does the Eurovision 2027 season start on 1 September?
The date isn’t simply something Eurovision fans invented to give themselves another reason to celebrate.
Under the official Eurovision Song Contest rules, competing songs must not have been publicly released or performed before 1 September of the year preceding the Contest.
That means a song released from today onwards could theoretically become the next Eurovision winner.
The rule exists partly to ensure that entries are relatively new when they reach the Contest rather than songs that have already spent months – or years – building commercial success.
There can be some nuance around what counts as a previous public performance or release, but 1 September remains the official Eurovision starting line.
So somewhere out there, the winner of Eurovision 2027 could already exist.
No pressure, huns.
What are the Eurovision 2027 song rules?
Alongside the 1 September release rule, entries competing at Eurovision 2027 will have to meet several other requirements.
Songs must be original and cannot exceed three minutes.
They can be performed in any language, while a maximum of six artists can appear on stage.
For 2027, performers must also be at least 18 years old by the date of their first Eurovision rehearsal, following changes introduced by the EBU for next year’s Contest.
So yes, the Eurovision songwriting machine can officially start whirring.
Three minutes.
One massive stage.
Absolutely no pressure whatsoever.
Eurovision 2027 is heading to Burgas
This year’s journey will end somewhere rather different.
The 71st Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Burgas, on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, after DARA delivered Bulgaria its first-ever Eurovision victory with Bangaranga in Vienna earlier this year.
Arena Burgas will host:
First Semi-Final: Tuesday 11 May 2027 Second Semi-Final: Thursday 13 May 2027 Grand Final: Saturday 15 May 2027
It will be the first time Bulgaria has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest.
Eurovision by the Black Sea?
Honestly, pack the SPF and sequins now.
National selections are already getting started
Although 1 September marks the official song eligibility date, several broadcasters have already started preparing their selections.
Luxembourg has confirmed that the Luxembourg Song Contest will return on 30 January 2027, with submissions already underway.
Meanwhile, Eurovision newcomer Canada has launched the search for the first artist ever to represent the country, with CBC/Radio-Canada choosing the performer before developing their Eurovision song and stage performance.
And as we’ve already reported here at The Gayly Mirror, Italy is preparing major changes to Sanremo’s relationship with Eurovision.
In other words, the Eurovision machine never really went away.
It was just having a very short lie-down.
What happens next in the Eurovision 2027 season?
September usually marks the beginning of the quieter – but increasingly busy – part of the Eurovision calendar.
Broadcasters will continue confirming participation, national selection formats will be announced, song submissions will open and rumours about potential artists will begin multiplying at an alarming rate.
Then come the national finals.
By winter, Eurovision fans will once again be arguing about jury scores, staging choices and whether somebody was “robbed” approximately six seconds after losing a selection.
Nature is healing.
The EBU has not yet announced the final list of participating countries for Eurovision 2027, with further confirmations expected later in 2026.
The race to Eurovision 2027 starts now
For casual viewers, Eurovision is something that happens for one spectacular week in May.
For the rest of us?
It’s apparently a nine-month lifestyle choice.
From today, every new release could theoretically be the one.
The next Måneskin.
The next Loreen.
The next completely unhinged three-minute performance we’ll still be talking about in ten years.
So welcome back, babes.
The road to Burgas has officially begun.
And may the Eurovision gods have mercy on our sleep schedules.
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