Canada will take part in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, organisers have announced, the BBC reports.
It becomes the first new country to join since Australia in 2015, and follows a turbulent year where long-standing competitors such as Ireland and Spain pulled out over Israel’s participation.
The path for Canada to compete was cleared last week, when the country’s public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada became a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which stages the annual competition.
The country can already claim one winner. Quebec-born Celine Dion represented Switzerland in the 1988 contest, and took the trophy with her song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.
Other Canadians have since competed, including Natasha St-Pier, an Acadian New Brunswicker who represented France in 2001, and La Zarra, a singer from Montreal who represented France in 2023.
According to organisers, Canada will debut at next year’s semi-finals in Bulgaria.
CBC/Radio-Canada will unveil details on how Canada’s entry will be selected later this year.
