"ESC Preselection Staged Without Television Personality Stefan Raab" - ECSC Decision Without Entertainer Stefan Raab Imminent
In a significant shift for the German Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) selection process, it has been announced that the Southwest Broadcasting (SWR) will take over the organization of the preliminary round in 2026. This change comes after ARD and RTL jointly decided not to cooperate with Stefan Raab for the ESC preliminary round next year.
For many years, Raab has been a pivotal figure in German ESC history. He organized the preliminary round and selected Lena Meyer-Landrut in 2010, who brought Germany its first ESC victory since 1982. Raab also composed the title "Guildo has you love" for Guildo Horn in 1998, finishing seventh in the competition. However, Raab largely withdrew from the public eye in 2015 and returned to the camera in September 2024.
Despite his goal of victory, Raab's most recent participation in the contest, in 2012 with "Wadde hatte dudde da?", resulted in a fifth place finish. In 2025, Raab was reintegrated into the ESC selection process with the hope of improving Germany's chances of success. However, it seems that this year will mark the end of his involvement, as the German preselection for the ESC 2026 will be organized without him or his channel RTL.
The preliminary round will be broadcast at the end of February in the first. The ARD plans to organize the German preliminary round for the ESC next year, with the sibling duo Abor & Tynna emerging as the winner from the preliminary round led by Raab. As of now, no partners for the German preliminary round have been decided yet.
The SWR is responsible for the music spectacle for the first time in 2026, previously the North German Broadcasting had been in charge. The next ESC will take place in May 2026 in Vienna. The preliminary round will be held under a new format, with only one preliminary round next year instead of the previously used format with several shows.
Stefan Raab is undeniably one of the most important figures in German Eurovision history, but it seems that the torch has been passed to the SWR for the 2026 contest. The upcoming preliminary round promises to be an exciting event, with the SWR bringing fresh energy to the competition. Stay tuned for more updates on the German preliminary round for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
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