Who are Bandidos do Cante? Meet Portugal's Eurovision 2026 entry

The Eurovision Song Contest gets underway tonight as the first 15 acts all perform for a chance to qualify for Saturday’s grand final.

Following Austria’s win in 2025, as is tradition they will host this year’s competition in Vienna, in what will be a truly thrilling night as the contest celebrates its 70 year anniversary.

Among the acts taking part this year is Portugal’s entry Bandidos do Cante, another band hoping to take Portugal all the way to the top of the leaderboard.

Read on to learn more about the band as they prepare to take the Eurovision stage by storm.

Who is Portugal Eurovision 2026 entry Bandidos do Cante?

Instagram: @bandidosdocante

TikTok: @bandidosdocante

Bandidos do Cante are a Portuguese music group composed of Miguel Costa, Duarte Farias, Francisco Raposo, Luís Aleixo and Francisco Pestana.

The group is best known for their fusion of Cante Alentejano, a Portuguese music genre based on vocal musical without instrumentation from the Alentejo region, and contemporary and pop sounds.

Their debut single, Amigos Coloridos, was hugely popular when it launched, and shortly became the most played song on Portuguese radio.

What has Bandidos do Cante said about representing Portugal at Eurovision 2026?

After winning Portugal’s Eurovision selection competition, the band shared a statement on Instagram: “Thank you to everyone who believed and voted for us. This is not just a victory of ours, it’s the victory of an entire nation!! We are living unforgettable days.

“To all competitors and colleagues, it was a pleasure to enjoy this festival with you! And a thank you to the entire organisation of @festivaldacancao.rtp. See you in Vienna.”

What is Portugal’s Eurovision 2026 song called?

Bandidos do Cante will represent Eurovision with the song Rosa.

You can listen to the full song below.

Where did Portugal come in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest?

Portugal finished in 21st place at Eurovision last year, with entry NAPA scoring 50 points with the song Deslocado.

The Eurovision Song Contest has faced significant criticism over its decision to allow Israel to take part in the event due to the ongoing war in Gaza.

This year, a number of countries will boycott the contest following the European Broadcasting Union’s decision not to expel Israel from the competition.

At the EBU general assembly in December 2025, a vote was held to introduce new rules that would stop governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voters. No vote was held on Israel’s participation.

The EBU said in a statement: “A large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place.”

Following this, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland confirmed they would not participate in this year’s Eurovision.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ said: “RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.”

The BBC, which broadcasts the competition in the UK, has said it supports the decision made by the EBU. “This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive,” it said in a statement.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final will take place on Saturday 16 May 2026.

You can also check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision.

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