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You’d think organising Italy’s most-watched TV event would be a no-brainer. But the Sanremo Festival—Italy’s glitzy, melodramatic song contest that (kind of) doubles as the nation’s Eurovision selection—has found itself in a bit of a bind.
Following a recent court ruling that blocked Sanremo’s automatic handover to RAI for the 2026–2028 editions, the Italian broadcaster now finds itself as both the organiser and the only one interested in organising. Yes, dear reader, in the great bake-off of festival tenders, only one soggy bottom turned up.
Crying foul
This all kicked off thanks to Sergio Cerruti, a music producer and president of an Italian independent labels group, who cried foul at Sanremo being handed to RAI without a fight. The Liguria Regional Administrative Court (TAR) agreed with him, demanding the Municipality of Sanremo open up the event to public bidding.
So they did. And… drumroll… the only formal expression of interest came from (you guessed it) RAI.
To be fair, RAI is Sanremo. The festival has lived on their airwaves since before Italy even debuted at Eurovision in 1956. And with Carlo Conti (yes, he’s back) taking the reins once more, the broadcaster clearly isn’t ready to let go of its crown jewel.
And with Carlo Conti (yes, he’s back) returning to host and direct the festival artistically, the broadcaster clearly isn’t ready to let go of its crown jewel. Speaking to ANSA, Conti was characteristically diplomatic: “RAI cannot do without the Festival, and Sanremo cannot do without RAI.”
But Sergio Cerruti remains unconvinced. “The law is clear: a public good like Sanremo must go through an open and transparent process,” he said earlier this year, calling RAI’s automatic claim on the festival “a monopoly dressed as tradition.”
But here’s where things get spicy
On 22 May, Italy’s Council of State will examine RAI and the Municipality’s appeal against the TAR’s ruling.
On 23 May, the same court will consider Cerruti’s request to suspend the Municipality’s call for bids, potentially stalling the entire process again.
Why does this matter for Eurovision fans? Because Sanremo isn’t just a festival of flowers and overblown ballads—it’s how Italy picks its Eurovision act. If this legal tennis match drags on, we may see delays (or improvisations) in selecting Italy’s 2026 entrant.
For now, Italy’s Eurovision hopes remain tethered to Sanremo’s fate—and to whether RAI gets to keep the glittery keys to the kingdom.
Watch this space. And spare a thought for the poor clerks in Liguria who thought they were just booking a theatre.
