Proposals from the Committee of the Regions have already been put forward.
In a significant shift from previous years, the German Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) selection process will undergo a series of changes in 2026.
For the first time in over three decades, the responsibility for the preselection process has been transferred from the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) to the Südwestrundfunk (SWR). This marks a new era for the music spectacle, as the SWR will organize the event without the involvement of Stefan Raab, a figure considered one of the most important in German ESC history.
Raab, who returned to the camera in September 2024 after a period of absence from 2015 to 2024, had been reintegrated into the ESC selection process in 2025. However, his comeback was short-lived, as the German preliminary round in 2026 will no longer be a casting show with several rounds, as was previously the case. Instead, there will only be one preliminary round.
Last year, Raab led the preliminary round, which saw the sibling duo Abor & Tynna emerge as the winners. In contrast, Raab's own participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1999 resulted in a fifth place finish with "Wadde hatte dudde da?". He also played a crucial role in the selection of Lena Meyer-Landrut in 2010, who brought Germany its first ESC victory since 1982.
Despite his success in the ESC selection process, Raab's team did not reach the same level of success at the Eurovision Song Contest itself. In 2025, the siblings only managed to reach 15th place at the contest. One of Raab's most notable compositions, "Guildo hat euch lieb", which Guildo Horn participated with in 1998, finished seventh in the Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson.
The preliminary round for the ESC 2026 will be broadcast at the end of February on the first channel. ARD, which is organizing the German preliminary round for the contest next year, has decided not to cooperate with RTL for the preliminary round 2026. This decision brings an end to a long-standing collaboration between the two broadcasters.
The next ESC will take place in May 2026 in Vienna. The contestants selected through the German preliminary round will represent Germany in the grand event. The changes in the selection process are expected to bring fresh perspectives and new talent to the German ESC scene.
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