Belgium will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 in Burgas, Bulgaria. The confirmation was made officially by Flemish public broadcaster VRT on Wednesday, 23 September, after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the country’s participation.
VRT informed the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that it will send a Belgian representative to the 2027 contest. The broadcaster said its decision reflects developments within the EBU and changes to the Eurovision framework, while stressing that it wants to remain actively involved in discussions about the future of the competition.
VRT confirms Belgium will compete
In its official announcement, VRT said that it sees an opportunity to help restore the Eurovision Song Contest’s original values, including connection, mutual understanding and a desire for peace.
The broadcaster also noted that it had, together with other public broadcasters – including the Netherlands’ NPO – raised important questions about the future of the Eurovision Song Contest over recent months.
According to VRT, the EBU has since taken significant steps concerning participation rules, voting and jury rules, sponsorship and the organisation of the Contest. VRT said it wants to remain part of this process and contribute to the future development of Eurovision.
VRT CEO Frederik Delaplace acknowledged that participation in the contest remains a subject of very different opinions and emotions. He also stressed that VRT’s participation should not be interpreted as approval or normalisation of events in Gaza or elsewhere in the world.
At the same time, VRT said it believes that remaining engaged in dialogue is part of its commitment to the Eurovision project and its stated values.
A decision that follows months of uncertainty
Belgium’s participation had been far from certain.
VRT had publicly questioned its future involvement in Eurovision for more than a year. In May 2026, the broadcaster indicated that the chances of sending an artist to Eurovision 2027 were low unless the EBU changed its position on issues that VRT had raised.
The broadcaster subsequently requested additional time to make its final decision. The original deadline for broadcasters to confirm participation was 15 September, but VRT was granted an extension while discussions with the EBU continued.
That uncertainty ended on 23 September, when VRT officially confirmed that Belgium would participate.
What changes did VRT point to?
VRT’s announcement refers broadly to changes made by the EBU in several areas.
The EBU had already announced a series of amendments and clarifications to the Eurovision rules for 2027 following its annual review and feedback from participating broadcasters. Among the announced changes are strengthened rules concerning the safety of the host country, clearer audio regulations and an increase in the minimum age for Eurovision artists from 16 to 18.
VRT says that the broader changes to the Contest’s governance and participation framework have addressed at least some of the concerns raised by the broadcaster and other EBU members.
According to Belgian Eurovision specialist website Songfestival.be, background information provided by VRT to journalists also points to a stronger emphasis on the Contest’s values, a greater role for EBU members in strategic decisions and changes to the governance structure.
VRT describes its decision to participate not as the end of the discussion, but as a commitment to continue working with other public broadcasters on the future of Eurovision.
Who will represent Belgium?
At this stage, no Belgian artist has been announced.
VRT has confirmed that it will send a representative to Burgas, but the broadcaster has not yet announced how or when the Belgian entry will be selected. This means that, for now, it is not known whether Belgium will use an internal selection or organise a televised national selection such as Eurosong.
This is an important distinction from some early reports circulating online that suggested an internal selection had already been decided. VRT’s official announcement confirms participation, but does not confirm the selection method.
Belgium’s Eurovision history
Belgium was one of the seven countries that participated in the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956.
The country has won the competition once. In 1986, Sandra Kim won Eurovision for Belgium with “J’aime la vie”, giving the country its only Eurovision victory to date.
Source: VRT – Official confirmation of participation in Eurovision 2027
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