Last updated: September 21, 2026
The Sanremo Music Festival 2027 will take place from February 16 to 20 at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo. The 77th edition of Italy’s most important popular-music competition will feature 24 artists and five nights of performances, but several major changes distinguish it from previous editions.
Stefano De Martino will serve as both host and artistic director. Under the newly published rules, Sanremo 2027 will introduce a separate performance competition, an international jury and a more direct connection between one of the festival’s special nights and the Eurovision Song Contest.
The regulations also address artificial intelligence. Competing songs must remain expressions of human creativity, and AI cannot be used when it replaces or alters the creative contribution of the artists or songwriters.
This article will be updated as Rai announces the competing artists, songs, co-hosts, guests, voting details and international viewing information.
Sanremo 2027 at a Glance
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Festival dates | February 16–20, 2027 |
| Location | Teatro Ariston, Sanremo, Liguria |
| Edition | 77th Festival della Canzone Italiana |
| Host | Stefano De Martino |
| Artistic director | Stefano De Martino |
| Competing artists | 24 |
| Number of nights | Five |
| Covers night | Thursday, February 18 |
| Performance night | Friday, February 19 |
| Final | Saturday, February 20 |
| Maximum song length | 3 minutes 30 seconds |
| Maximum cover length | 4 minutes |
| Artist submission deadline | November 23, 2026 |
| Earliest expected cast announcement | November 29, 2026 |
When Is Sanremo 2027?
Sanremo 2027 will run for five consecutive evenings from Tuesday, February 16, through Saturday, February 20.
The event will return to the Teatro Ariston, the compact theater in the center of Sanremo that has hosted the festival since 1977. For viewers unfamiliar with the event, Sanremo is much more than an awards show. Each broadcast normally lasts for several hours and combines competitive performances, comedy, interviews, fashion, orchestral music and appearances by Italian and international guests.
The complete nightly starting times have not yet been published.
Readers who want to understand how the event became an Italian institution can consult Italia Mia’s history of the Festival di Sanremo.
Stefano De Martino Begins a New Sanremo Era
Sanremo 2027 marks the beginning of Stefano De Martino’s period as the festival’s principal host and artistic director.
De Martino succeeds Carlo Conti, who directed and hosted the 2025 and 2026 editions. The change is important because Sanremo’s artistic director influences not only the television presentation but also the selection of competing performers, the structure of each evening and the balance between music and entertainment.
De Martino has said that he is approaching the assignment with “listening, respect and enthusiasm.” He has also indicated that he is working on a restricted wish list of potential guests, including international personalities, although the official guest list has not yet been announced.
The names of any co-hosts or nightly presenters also remain unconfirmed.
Twenty-Four Artists Will Compete
The principal competition will include 24 artists performing previously unreleased songs.
The winner of Sarà Sanremo 2026, Rai’s selection program connected with emerging performers, will qualify directly for the main competition. The remaining artists will be selected by the artistic direction from the proposals submitted to Rai.
Artists and their representatives must submit their proposals by November 23, 2026. According to the initial schedule, the cast may be announced beginning November 29.
Until Rai publishes the official list, rumored participants should be treated cautiously. Sanremo speculation frequently begins months before the festival, but a performer should not be described as a confirmed contestant without an announcement from Rai or the artistic director.
For a broader introduction to the performers and musical traditions surrounding the festival, see Italia Mia’s guide to famous Italian singers and bands.
The Five-Night Sanremo 2027 Format
The 2027 rules preserve Sanremo’s five-night structure while changing the purpose of two central evenings.
First Night: Tuesday, February 16
The opening night begins the main competition and introduces the songs competing for the Sanremo title.
Voting from the first evening will contribute to the cumulative ranking used during the final. The precise distribution of performances and voting percentages should become clearer when Rai releases its more detailed nightly schedule.
Second Night: Wednesday, February 17
The second evening continues the presentation and evaluation of the original competing songs.
Votes cast during this night will also contribute to the accumulated ranking that helps determine which artists reach the final stage of the competition.
Covers Night: Thursday, February 18
The third night will be dedicated to covers.
Each of the 24 competing artists may choose a song from the Italian or international repertoire. The artist may perform alone or with one or more Italian or international guests, subject to approval from the artistic direction and Rai.
The covers competition will have its own voting process, ranking and winner. Its result will remain separate from the principal Sanremo competition and will not determine the winner of the festival.
Cover performances may last up to four minutes, compared with the three-minute-and-30-second limit for the original songs.
Performance Night: Friday, February 19
The fourth evening introduces one of the most significant changes to the Sanremo format.
Instead of simply repeating the same festival staging, artists will be asked to present their competing songs through interpretive, musical or scenic choices that are different from those used during the other evenings.
The intention appears to be to reward a complete performance rather than judge only the composition. Choreography, visual presentation, arrangement and interpretation may therefore become particularly important.
The performances will be evaluated by the public and a new International Jury of Experts composed of figures from the international music and entertainment industries.
The identities of the international jurors have not yet been announced.
Final Night: Saturday, February 20
The final will determine the winner of Sanremo 2027.
The principal ranking will incorporate voting from the first, second and fifth evenings. The highest-ranked performers will then advance to a concluding vote.
According to the initial rules described by RaiNews, the public’s final vote will be combined with the voting “treasure” accumulated by the leading artists during the earlier stages. Rai is expected to provide more precise details about the calculations and percentages before the festival.
Sanremo and Eurovision Will Have Separate Winners
One of the biggest innovations concerns the selection of Italy’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2027.
The winner of the new Performance Night will represent Rai and Italy at Eurovision. This creates a distinction between two awards:
- The winner of Saturday’s final will win the Sanremo Music Festival 2027.
- The winner of Friday’s Performance Night will receive the right to represent Italy at Eurovision 2027.
The same artist could potentially win both competitions, but that outcome is not guaranteed.
This is a meaningful departure from the arrangement familiar to many recent viewers, under which the Sanremo winner was normally given the first opportunity to represent Italy at Eurovision.
The change means an artist’s original song, live interpretation and visual presentation on Friday night could become decisive for Eurovision selection, even if another performer subsequently wins Sanremo itself.
How Voting Will Work
The principal Sanremo competition will continue to use three voting groups:
- Giuria Popolare, or Popular Jury
- Giuria della Sala Stampa, TV e Web, representing accredited press, television and online media
- Giuria delle Radio, representing radio broadcasters
Public voting will also play an important role during the decisive stages of the competition.
The Friday Performance Night will introduce the International Jury of Experts alongside the public. This jury will evaluate the distinctive performance created around each competing song.
The exact voting percentages, the number of artists advancing to the final vote and the membership of the international jury have not yet been confirmed in the information released to the public.
What the New Artificial-Intelligence Rule Means
Sanremo 2027 is explicitly addressing the role of artificial intelligence in music.
The regulations state that songs in the competition must be expressions of human creativity. AI systems cannot be used when their application replaces or alters the creative contribution of the songwriters or performers.
This should not automatically be interpreted as a prohibition on every technical tool that incorporates AI. The language focuses on creative substitution: machines cannot take the place of the human authorship and artistic contribution required by the competition.
More detailed guidance may be needed to determine how Rai will distinguish prohibited generative uses from technical assistance in recording, mixing, restoration or production.
The rule could become particularly important if questions arise about AI-generated lyrics, melodies, voices or performance elements. Any clarification issued by Rai will be added to this article.
Song and Performance Rules
The original songs competing at Sanremo must be previously unreleased and may not exceed three minutes and 30 seconds.
Cover performances may last up to four minutes.
Artists participating in the covers night may select a song from either the Italian or international repertoire. Their proposed guests and performance arrangements must be coordinated with Rai and the artistic direction.
Additional technical rules covering orchestration, rehearsals, eligibility and permitted changes to songs may become available as the festival approaches.
How to Watch Sanremo 2027
Rai has not yet published complete television, radio and international streaming arrangements for the 2027 festival.
In recent editions, Sanremo has been shown on Rai 1 and made available through RaiPlay, with additional coverage on Rai Radio 2 and Rai Italia. Viewers should wait for Rai to confirm which of these services will carry the 2027 broadcasts and whether geographical restrictions will apply outside Italy.
The official Festival di Sanremo page on RaiPlay is the best place to check for episodes, clips and streaming information as the event approaches.
International viewers should also verify local Eurovision broadcaster schedules and Rai Italia listings. Unofficial streams may be unreliable and could violate broadcasting rights.
What Has Not Yet Been Announced
Several important elements of Sanremo 2027 remain unknown:
- The complete list of 24 competing artists
- The titles of the competing songs
- Co-hosts and nightly presenters
- Italian and international guests
- Members of the International Jury of Experts
- Detailed voting percentages
- The number of artists reaching the final vote
- Complete broadcast and international streaming arrangements
- Ticket-sale dates and official prices
- The running order for each night
These details will be added as Rai makes official announcements.
Why Sanremo 2027 Could Be a Particularly Important Edition
Sanremo has always combined tradition with constant changes to its rules. The 2027 edition appears designed to give individual performances greater importance while expanding the festival’s international perspective.
Separating the covers contest, the Performance Night, Eurovision selection and the main Sanremo final creates several different measures of success. An artist could win recognition for a cover, produce the best Eurovision-oriented performance or win the overall festival.
The international jury could also introduce a perspective different from those of the Italian press, radio representatives and domestic viewers.
At the same time, the AI rule places Sanremo inside a rapidly developing debate about authorship in popular music. The way Rai applies that rule may attract attention well beyond Italy.
For comparison with the previous edition, read Italia Mia’s coverage of the Sanremo 2026 winners and final-night highlights.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Sanremo 2027 take place?
The festival will run from Tuesday, February 16, through Saturday, February 20, 2027.
Where is Sanremo 2027 being held?
The competition will take place at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo, on the Ligurian coast of northwestern Italy.
Who is hosting Sanremo 2027?
Stefano De Martino will be the principal host and artistic director.
How many singers will compete?
The main competition will include 24 artists.
When will the Sanremo 2027 singers be announced?
The artist submission deadline is November 23, 2026. Rai may announce the official cast beginning November 29.
Will the Sanremo winner represent Italy at Eurovision?
Not necessarily. Under the initial 2027 rules, the winner of Friday’s separate Performance Night will represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Is artificial intelligence completely banned?
The regulations prohibit AI use when it replaces or alters the creative contribution of the authors or artists. This is more specific than a blanket ban on every technology containing an AI-assisted function.
Does Covers Night count toward the main result?
No. The covers competition will have its own ranking and winner, separate from the main Sanremo result.
Where can viewers watch Sanremo 2027?
Complete broadcast details have not yet been announced. Rai 1, RaiPlay, Rai Radio 2 and Rai Italia have carried Sanremo coverage in previous years, but viewers should wait for confirmation of the 2027 arrangements.
External Sources
Sanremo 2027 rules and format — RaiNews
Festival di Sanremo official program page — RaiPlay
Latest Sanremo 2027 reporting and videos — RaiNews
