Lorraine Williamson
Benidorm Fest is back — bigger, louder, and still able to dominate Spain’s pop conversation, even without Eurovision on the horizon. After the first semi-final, RTVE confirmed the first finalists in a week that has quickly turned into a live test of Spain’s appetite for a homegrown music contest.
The key difference this year is political as well as cultural: Spain will not compete in Eurovision 2026, following RTVE’s decision to withdraw. That means Benidorm Fest is no longer a Eurovision launchpad for 2026 — but it remains a prime-time platform with real money, visibility and industry backing.
The first semi-final: results and early momentum
The opening show delivered a tightly produced mix of mainstream pop, alternative edges and viral-ready staging. RTVE’s official Benidorm Fest page hosts the programme, performances and coverage as the competition continues through the week.
As the format has matured, Benidorm Fest has become less of a “Eurovision warm-up” and more of a national showcase. In recent years, it has produced streaming hits, revived careers and helped newer artists break into the mainstream — and RTVE clearly wants that momentum to survive Eurovision’s absence.
Luna Ki’s exit: what RTVE said happened
One of the night’s most talked-about moments came after Luna Ki’s performance, when she left the venue and did not return to the green room. RTVE later explained the situation publicly, citing an indisposition.
The incident fed into a familiar Benidorm Fest dynamic: part talent contest, part live television pressure-cooker, with social media amplifying every backstage detail.
Voting: how it works this year
Benidorm Fest remains a hybrid of professional and public influence. Voting is split between a professional jury and public participation, including RTVE’s app-based voting, plus traditional channels.
Why it matters even without Eurovision
Spain’s Eurovision withdrawal creates an obvious question: what is Benidorm Fest for in 2026? RTVE’s answer appears to be scale and permanence — treating it as Spain’s flagship televised music festival, with industry partnerships and a national audience.
RTVE’s own explanation of the Eurovision withdrawal makes clear this year is an exception in international participation, not necessarily the end of Benidorm Fest as a format.
What happens next
A second semi-final will follow before the final later this week, with the winner taking the Benidorm Fest title — and, crucially, the domestic prestige that now comes with it.
If anything, 2026 will show whether Benidorm Fest has grown beyond Eurovision: a Spanish TV event that can stand on its own, even when the international stage is off-limits.