The Eurovision Junior 2026 already has its French representative. His name is Alec, he is 12 years old, he hails from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and he will represent France on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in Malta, as announced by France Télévisions this Saturday, June 20. So who is this young talent, why is the contest taking place in Malta, and what are the stakes for France? Here is everything you need to know about this new edition of the Eurovision Junior.
The general public first got to know Alec at the end of 2025, on Don’t Forget the Lyrics Junior, the kid-friendly spin-off of Nagui’s hit show on France 2. A lifelong music lover, he’s been playing piano since age five and guitar since seven, and he’s already writing his own songs.
His name was revealed live on France 2, during the Fête de la Musique broadcast from the Théâtre antique d'Orange. On stage, the boy offered a first taste of his voice with a piano mash-up, blending Ce monde (last year's winning song by Lou Deleuze) with I'm Still Standing, Elton John's anthem. “We are very happy to welcome Alec into the big Eurovision Junior family,” says Alexandra Redde-Amiel, head of the French delegation, praising a talent that is “already remarkable.” Notably, this is the first time since France returned to the contest in 2018 that France Télévisions has banked on a contestant revealed by one of its own programs.
The event is set for Saturday, October 24, 2026, in Ta'Qali, on the island of Malta. The largest children’s singing contest for ages 9 to 14 will be broadcast live on France Télévisions’ networks, as it does each year.
A recurring question: why isn't the competition held in France? With its victory in 2025, France could have hosted the edition on home soil. But France Télévisions declined to host the contest for budgetary reasons. Malta will therefore assume hosting duties, and Alec won't be performing at home.
France today stands as the reigning powerhouse of the contest, with four victories to its name: Valentina in 2020, Lissandro in 2022, Zoé Clauzure in 2023 (in Nice), and Lou Deleuze in 2025, in Tbilisi, with her song “This World.” If she wins, Alec would hand France a fifth title, an achievement never before seen in the history of the competition.
The young singer thus inherits a long streak of strong French results from the past. On the adult competition side, 2026 proved more uneven, with Monroe finishing 11th in Vienna.
For now, the track that Alec will perform remains a mystery: the song will be unveiled in the coming weeks. The full list of competing countries, the bookmakers’ favorites, and the running order will also be announced over the course of the summer and autumn. We’ll update this article as soon as these details are official.
Listening to his piano-and-voice set during the Fête de la Musique, the contestant comes across as both solid and moving, able to carry a melody without a single off note at such a young age. His versatility (piano, guitar, composition) and ease on stage hint at a strong performance for France on October 24. Tune in this autumn to hear his song and, perhaps, get swept up in the excitement for a fifth star.
Dates and Opening Time
On October 24, 2026
Official website
junioreurovision.tv
More information
Watch it on France 4 starting at 5 p.m.
