Mthere’s very little left until the start of Sanremo 2026this year broadcast from Tuesday 24 February to Saturday 28. Five consecutive evenings that bring the audience back to the same stage for the most anticipated television event of the year. This year the festival has moved forward in the calendar compared to tradition to avoid overlapping with the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics but as always it will be the most watched, most talked about, most commented show. Regardless of the dates.
Sanremo 2026: when it starts, what time and where to see it on TV, streaming and radio
During the festival, Your business takes a break. The first evening of Sanremo 2026 will be broadcast on Tuesday 24 February from around 8.40pm. On Wednesday 25th February there will be space for the second evening, on Thursday 26th for the third. The evening of the covers arrives on Friday 27 February the final will be broadcast on Saturday 28 February, with the relative announcement of the winner. The time is always the same: 8.40pm, with indicative closing shortly after 1am.
The live television broadcast is on Rai 1, but for those who want to follow the festival on the move there is streaming on RaiPlaya free platform available in apps on smartphones and tablets and obviously on computers and SmartTVs. In addition to the live broadcast of the evenings, there will be numerous extra contents available to the most avid audience: clips of performances, interviews, backstage and even the live broadcast of artistic director Carlo Conti’s daily press conference supported from time to time by the hosts of the five evenings.
On the radio front, coverage is provided by Rai Radio 2, the festival’s official radio station, with continuous connectionshot comments and behind-the-scenes incursions. The live story of the five episodes, in particular, is entrusted as always to the voices of Ema Stokholma and Gino Castaldo, on air from the Blueroom inside the Ariston Theater. Here they collect the first comments from the singers at the end of their performance.
Before the festival there is PrimaFestival
The Sanremo 2026 timetable, as mentioned, remains that of the classic prime time, but each episode will be preceded by a story that begins before the curtain even rises.
It has been broadcast on Rai 1 since February 21st, immediately after Tg1 PrimaFestivalthe daily strip that accompanies the public towards the race. Hosted by Ema Stokholma, Carolina Rey and Manola Moslehi. A few minutes, high intensity: connections, background, previews, indiscretions. Monday 23 February PrimaFestival will follow the parade of the thirty competing artists live from the blue carpet located outside the Ariston Theatre: it is a moment that, in recent years, has become one of the most anticipated.
The After Festival with Nicola Savino what time does it start
When the Ariston lights go out, the show continues. In fact, from 24 to 27 February, the appointment with the After Festival, immediately after the closing of the evenings. Approximate time? 1:30 at night, minute more minute less.
This year Carlo Conti called Nicola Savino to conduct it, supported by Aurora Leone, Federico Basso and maestro Enrico Cremonesi: every evening of the Festival, where there will be no shortage of incursions from the competing singers, will be commented on hotly by journalists and guests with irony as the common thread. After Festival this year it is broadcast from the Teatro del Casino in Sanremo, the historic venue of the first edition in 1951: a return to the origins.
Anna Lou Castoldi, Nicole Rossi and Elisa Maino (Rai)
Below Sanremothe “young” story on RaiPlay
From 23 February to 1 March, exclusively on RaiPlay there is also Below Sanremoseven episodes from an alternative perspective. Conducted by Anna Lou Castoldi, Elisa Maino and Nicole Rossi, from a base set up in an urban bunker under the Ariston Theater who, with the language of social media and Generation Z, tell everything that happens beyond the official live broadcast: reactions, anecdotes and above all the most curious details.
Day Time at the service of Festival
There is no shortage of in-depth information on the Day Time Rai entertainment programmes: from Monday 23 to Friday 27 February at 2.00 pm and exceptionally Saturday 28 February at 3.00 pm The good timehosted by Caterina Balivo on Rai 1, will be broadcast from Sanremo. Just like Playlistsbroadcast on Rai 2 conducted by Gabriele Vagnato and Federica Gentile.
The final appointment is the one with Sunday In: Sunday 1 March Mara Venier will be live from the Ariston Theatre, as usual, together with the singers who accept her invitation and to the journalists called to comment on the entire festival.
Carlo Conti host with Laura Pausini
The artistic direction and management of Sanremo 2026 are entrusted precisely to Carlo Contiat its fifth festival, the second in a row. Password? Speed, obviously. If there’s one thing Conti hates it’s downtime and this year too the pace of each evening will be tight. At his side, on all five evenings, is Laura Pausini.
The other co-hosts are Can Yaman and Irina Shayk and the very Italians Pilar Fogliati, Lillo Petrolo, Achille Lauro, Nino Frassica and Gianluca Gazzoli. And last-minute surprises cannot be ruled out. Thirty Bigs and four New Proposals are competing.
Big di’s songs Sanremo 2026
Arisa – Magical fairy tale
Rag dolls – Stay with me
Chiello – I always think of you
Dargen D’Amico – AI AI
Toe in the wound – How annoying!
Eddie Brock – Vultures
Elettra Lamborghini – Voila
Enrico Nigiotti – Whenever I don’t know how to fly
Ermal Meta – Little star
Fedez & Marco Masini – Necessary evil
Francesco Renga – The best of me
Lightning bolts – Stupid bad luck
J-Ax – Italy Starter Pack
LDA & Aka7even – Clandestine poems
Leo Gassmann – Natural
Levant – It’s you
Luchè – Labyrinth
Malika Ayane – Nocturnal animals
Mara Sattei – The things you don’t know about me
Marie Antoinette & Colombre – Happiness and that’s it
Michele Bravi – Sooner or later
Nayt – Before
Patty Pravo – Opera
Raf – Now and forever
Sal Da Vinci – Forever yes
Samurai Jay – Obsession
Sayf – I like you a lot
Serena Brancale – Here with me
Thomas Paradiso – The romantics
Thirteen Peter – Falling man
The New Proposals of Sanremo 2026
Angelica Bove – Brick
Blind, El Ma and Soniko – In my DMs
Mazzariello – Manifestation of love
Nicolò Filippucci – Lagoon
