Sanremo 2026 concluded Saturday night after four hours of musical performances, culminating in a victory for Sal Da Vinci and his song, “Per Sempre Sì.” The annual Italian song contest is a cultural touchstone, and the winner is typically offered the opportunity to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Da Vinci has accepted the invitation to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, which will be held in Vienna, Austria, according to a press conference following his win. This confirmation avoids a repeat of last year’s situation, where Olly, the 2025 Sanremo winner, declined to participate in Eurovision due to prior concert commitments. Lucio Corsi then represented Italy at the 2025 contest in Basel, Switzerland, finishing in fifth place, as reported by EurovisionWorld.
The 76th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival featured 30 artists, and the final vote was a close contest. Da Vinci secured the win with just a 0.03% margin over Sayf, demonstrating the competitive nature of the event. Ditonellapiaga finished a close third, only 1.6% behind the winner, while Arisa and Fedez & Masini rounded out the top five, according to results published by Wikipedia.
The final ranking was determined by a combined vote from three juries: the press, radio, and public televote, each accounting for 33% and 34% of the total, respectively. This was combined with the average results from the first, second, third, and fifth nights of the festival. The detailed breakdown of the superfinal voting is as follows:
| Classement super-finale |
Total en % | |
| 1 – Fedez e Masini – Male necessario | 5 | 16,5 % |
| 2 – Arisa – Magica favola | 4 | 18,9 % |
| 3 – Ditonellapiaga – Che fastidio! | 3 | 20,6 % |
| 4 – Sal Da Vinci – Per sempre sì | 1 | 22,2 % |
| 5 – Sayf – Tu mi piaci tanto | 2 | 21,9 % |
Beyond the main competition, several honorary awards were presented during the festival. Fulminacci received the Mia Martini Critics’ Award for “Stupida sfortuna,” while Serena Brancale was honored with the Lucio Dalla Press Room Award for “Qui con me.” Fedez & Masini took home the Sergio Bardotti Award for best lyrics with “Male necessario,” and Ditonellapiaga was recognized for best musical composition with “Che fastidio!” Serena Brancale also received the Lunezia Award for the artist with the highest emotional value.
The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the 76th Italian Song Festival, was hosted by Carlo Conti and Laura Pausini, with guest presenters including Can Yaman, Achille Lauro, Lillo and Pilar Fogliati, Irina Shayk, Ubaldo Pantani, Giorgia Cardinaletti, and Nino Frassica. Maurizio Pagnussat directed the event, with Pinuccio Pirazzoli serving as the musical director, according to Wikipedia.
With his victory, Sal Da Vinci will now prepare to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. The competition is scheduled for 2026, and Da Vinci’s participation marks Italy’s continued presence on the international stage of popular music. The next step for Da Vinci will be preparing his performance for the Eurovision stage, and further details regarding staging and promotion are expected in the coming months.
What are your thoughts on the overall ranking of the 76th edition of the Sanremo Festival? What does Sal Da Vinci’s song, “Per Sempre Sì,” inspire in you?
