Keith Chetcuti Leads Malta Eurovision 2026 Hosting at MFCC
Malta eurovision 2026 is headed back to Ta’Qali. Public Broadcasting Services will host the 24th Junior Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday 24 October at the MFCC venue, putting Malta back in the role it last held in 2016.
Keith Chetcuti, PBS chief executive officer, said: “Malta is Eurovision’s biggest fan and ally and therefore it is our biggest honour to be chosen as the host nation for this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest.” That line is more than ceremony: PBS is not just staging a show, it is taking on a contest that will put young artists aged 9 to 14 on a large live broadcast stage.
Ta’Qali and the MFCC
Saturday 24 October gives PBS a fixed production date, and the MFCC in Ta’Qali gives it a venue built for scale rather than improvisation. The broadcaster said the arena will be transformed into a vibrant Eurovision Festa Village, tying the production to Maltese Festa heritage while keeping the contest’s live format front and center.
Martin Green said: “We are thrilled to be bringing the Junior Eurovision Song Contest back to Malta with PBS. Malta has an exceptional track record in the Contest, not only in terms of its successes on stage but also as a host broadcaster that understands how to create a world-class event for young performers. We know that PBS will once again deliver a spectacular show that captures the creativity, diversity and spirit at the heart of Junior Eurovision.”
Malta's 2013 and 2015 wins
Malta has twice won Junior Eurovision, first in 2013 with Gaia Cauchi’s The Start and again in 2015 with Destiny’s Not My Soul. PBS also hosted the contest in 2014, and Malta last staged it in Valletta in 2016, so this return gives the broadcaster a chance to turn past results into a current hosting assignment.
France enters the recent record with Lou Deleuze’s 2025 victory, giving the contest a fourth win for France and raising the standard for every host broadcaster that follows. For Malta, the assignment is straightforward: deliver a live event that can handle the contest’s youth focus, its international audience, and the symbolism of bringing Junior Eurovision back to the island after nine years.
Junior Eurovision 2026
The practical takeaway is simple for viewers, delegations, and anyone tracking the contest’s production calendar: PBS has the venue, the date, and the mandate to stage the show. Malta has the track record, the home wins, and the hosting experience; now it gets the responsibility of turning MFCC into the center of Junior Eurovision on 24 October.
