- This is how different (or not) the Benidorm Fest 2026 ranking would have been, according to YouTube and Spotify views
He Benidorm Fest 2026 arrives with one of the biggest news in its history: for the first time, the winner of the contest will receive a financial prize of 150,000 eurosa figure that seeks to consolidate the festival as a great showcase of Spanish music and boost the career of the artist who wins the victory. The winner of the festival will receive 150,000 euros, divided into €100,000 for the artist and €50,000 for the composers
RTVE introduced this incentive to reinforce the value of the contest, especially in a year marked by his separation from Eurovision a decision that has led the festival to focus on its own identity and the promotion of national talent.
In addition to the main prize, RTVE announced an agreement with Univisión: one of the participating artists will travel to Miami to record a single with an international producer and perform promotion in the Latin market. “It is a qualitative leap, an expanded model of the previous experience,” said César Vallejo, highlighting the commitment to internationalize the festival.
WECB
WECB
The main prize breakdown
The 150,000 euros allocated to the winner are not given in full to a single member of the project. According to the contest rules, the amount is divided into two different parts: 100,000 euros for the performers and 50,000 euros for the authors of the song. This distribution reinforces the idea that the festival does not rewards only the visible face of the musical projectbut also to those who build the artistic piece from the creative process. It is a way to recognize compositional work and encourage teams to present solid and competitive proposals.
More awards than ever
The 2026 edition includes, in addition to the cash prize, two additional rewards that increase the international projection of the contest. On the one hand, the agreement with TelevisaUnivision allows one of the artists to travel to Miami to record a song with a prominent producer and promote it on the network. This opportunity, unprecedented until now, opens a window to the Latin market, one of the most powerful in the world.
On the other hand, Spotify will award a third prize: a trip to Stockholm to record a single at their headquartersknown as “the mother ship”. These two awards do not necessarily go to the winner of the contest, but rather to artists selected by the collaborating entities, which expands the value for the participants beyond first place.
A festival that reinvents itself
The introduction of the financial prize comes in a year marked by a structural change: for the first time, the Benidorm Fest will not serve as preselection for Eurovisionafter RTVE decided to withdraw from the 2026 edition in Vienna. This shift means that the festival is no longer conditioned by international criteria and can focus exclusively on strengthening its identity as a major Spanish musical event. Far from downplaying its importance, this disengagement has served to reinforce the incentives and visibility of its participants.
He Benidorm Fest 2026 maintains its usual structure of two semi-finals – held on February 10 and 12—and one end that will take place February 14. This year it will have more finalists than ever and the presence of presenters such as Jesús Vázquez, Javier Ambrossi, Inés Hernand and Lalachus, which helps raise the profile of the event.
An incentive worthy of the impact of the festival
The 150,000 euros place Benidorm Fest at a new level. The figure not only represents a financial support for production, promotion or artistic planningbut also makes the contest equal to other European festivals that include professional rewards. For an emerging artist or an independent project, this award can make the difference between publishing a proposal with limited means or having resources that allow greater quality and reach.
