MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. The Intervision international song contest will definitely take place in 2026, with Saudi Arabia not backing out of hosting it, Russian presidential envoy for international cultural cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy told TASS.

"The contest will definitely take place this year. Saudi Arabia is still set to host this contest, and now organizational issues, such as the host city and the exact date, are being discussed," he said.

It was reported earlier that the organization of the Intervision contest in Saudi Arabia in 2026 is in question, and there is no guarantee that the event will take place. The contest’s press service later dismissed these reports.

About the event

The Intervision Song Contest, originally launched by the International Radio and Television Organization (OIRT), which existed from 1946 to 1993, was held in the 1960s and 1980s as an alternative to the Eurovision contest organized by the European Broadcasting Union, which had split off from the OIRT. Along with socialist countries close to the Soviet Union, Intervision participants included singers from Austria, Belgium, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Finland.

On February 3, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to restore the Intervision music contest, which took place in the Russian capital on September 20, 2025. Over 20 countries, including all BRICS member countries, took part in the competition.

During the 2025 competition, Russia was represented by singer Yaroslav Dronov (Shaman). TASS was the media partner of the event.