Italy: Sanremo 2026 results and highlights

The Night 1 highlight of Italy’s Sanremo Music Festival 2026 which is used to select their Eurovision representative.

The 2026 edition of Italy’s famous, prestigious, and historical Festival di Sanremo has officially kicked off.

30 competing artists presented their songs for the first time on the stage of Sanremo’s Ariston Theatre, ready for four more nights of Italian excellence (and some chaos).

All 30 competing entries can be streamed on the official Sanremo 2026 Spotify playlist. Performances can be watched on YouTube.

Following the performances, Carlo Conti, artistic director and host of this year’s contest, revealed the top 5 songs as voted by TV and Web journalists (in random order).

The Top 5 songs were announced in no particular order.

Just because a song didn’t make the Top 5 of the press, doesn’t mean it’s out of the running. Many winners have not featured this high in the past.

According to Eurovisionworld.com these three songs were the most popular without making the press Top 5.

All five nights of Festival di Sanremo this year will be co-hosted by Laura Pausini, Italian music icon who has earned success not just in her home country, but around the globe.

Pausini won the Newcomers’ Section of Sanremo in 1993 with her song La Solitudine. Recently, she has hosted Eurovision in 2022, and sung the Italian national anthem at the open ceremony of the recent Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina.

She will be alongside Conti for the rest of the festival, providing not only her role as a host, but classic Italian music, humour, and charm.

Second Night – Thursday (06:40am AEDT)

The night is opened by the Newcomers’ semi-final

Half of the artists will perform their entries for the second time

Voting will be televote (50%) and radio jury (50%)

A provisional ranking of the Top 5 acts will be announced at the end of the show

Co-hosts: Achille Lauro and Lillo e Pilar Fogliati.

Other guests: Bresh, and Olympic guests Arianna Fontana, Francesca Lollobrigida, Lisa Vittozzi, Giacomo Bertagnolli, Giuliana Turra.

Third Night – Friday (06:40am AEDT)

The remaining half of the artists will perform their entries for the second time

Voting will be televote (50%) and radio jury (50%)

A provisional ranking of the Top 5 acts will be announced at the end of the show

Co-hosts: Irina Shayk and Ubaldo Pantani

Other guests: Alicia Keys, Eros Ramazzotti, Virginia Raffaele, Fabio De Luigi, The Kolors

Fourth Night – Saturday (06:40am AEDT)

All 30 artist will perform covers of iconic Italian or international songs

Artists may perform with an acclaimed Italian or international guest

Voting will be televote (34%), combined press jury (33%) and radio jury (33%)

The winning cover will be announced, but unlike previous editions, the result will not count towards the overall score at the end of the festival

The night is closed by the Newcomers’ final

Guests: Bianca Balti and Franceso Gabbani

Final Night – Sunday (06:40am AEDT)

All 30 artists will perform their songs for the third and final time

At the end of televoting, the final ranking will be drawn up comprised of print and TV media jury (33%), a radio jury (33%) and televoting (34%). The Top 5 ranked acts will perform again.

A new vote will then be held. Of the top five in the super final – the winner will be decided by televote (34%), press jury (33%) and radio jury (33%). The sum of the votes of all three components, added to the votes of the previous general classification, will finally decree the winning song of the Festival.

Co-hosts: Giorgia Cardinaletti and Nina Frassica

Other guests: Andrea Boccelli and Pooh

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