Saudi Arabia Will Not Host Russia’s Intervision Song Contest This Year, TASS Reports

Oct. 24, 2026 Vietnam's contestant Duc Phuc holds up the 2025 Intervision trophy. Sergei Fadeichev / TASS Saudi Arabia will not host the Russian-backed Intervision song contest this year, with the event potentially postponed until 2027, the state-run news agency TASS reported, citing an unidentified source. The source said a “combination of circumstances” had made it impossible to stage the competition in Saudi Arabia in 2026, without elaborating. The decision leaves the future of Russia’s alternative to Eurovision uncertain a year after Moscow revived the Soviet-era competition. A source in Riyadh had already cast doubt on the event in August, telling TASS that its dates, participants and program remained unclear. Saudi Arabia was announced as the next host during the final of the September 2025 contest in Moscow. Saudi officials later said Russia had yet to formally hand over responsibility for organizing the event. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed hope in May that escalating tensions in the Middle East would not disrupt plans for the second edition. Russia revived Intervision after being barred from Eurovision in 2022 following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Eurovision’s organizers said Russia’s participation could bring the competition into disrepute. Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova subsequently proposed bringing back Intervision, which was held in the Polish city of Sopot in the late 1970s and early 1980s and featured performers from the Soviet Union and other socialist countries. President Vladimir Putin signed a decree ordering the competition’s revival in February 2025, with Russian authorities allocating 750 million rubles ($9.3 million) to stage it. Organizers said the Moscow contest drew participants from 22 countries. Russia was represented by the pro-Kremlin singer Shaman. Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc, who won his country’s version of “The Voice” a decade earlier, took first place. Kyrgyzstan’s Nomad group finished second, followed by Qatar’s Dana Al Meer. This article was translated with the help of artificial intelligence and was reviewed by a Moscow Times editor before publication. Learn more about our newsroom's AI policy here. Read this article in Russian at The Moscow Times' Russian service. Read more about: Music Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russian TV Channel Fined Over Alleged LGBT Video Clip The music video by ex-Eurovision contestant Sergey Lazarev allegedly showed same-sex couples holding hands. 1 Min read Tatarstani Hip-Hop Duo Nears Top of Global Shazam Chart The success of “Pyala” marks the first time in history that a Tatar-language song has topped a major global song chart. 1 Min read Russian Rock Band Leningrad Praises State Defense Conglomerate in New Song A video accompanying the new song called "Rostec" shows Russian military helicopters launching rockets, jets performing air maneuvers and warships firing... 2 Min read Russia Places Ukrainian Singer Jamala on Wanted List The Interior Ministry did not specify the criminal charges she is accused of. 2 Min read