Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest

Luxembourg has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest four times, with RTL staging the contest in Luxembourg City on every occasion. After winning in 1961, Luxembourg hosted the contest for the first time in 1962 at the Grand Auditorium de RTL, Villa Louvigny, which also served as the venue for the contest in 1966, when RTL hosted the contest for a second time. In 1973, RTL hosted the contest for a third time in Luxembourg, holding the event at the Nouveau Théâtre. After winning the contest for the second time consecutively in 1973, RTL declined the right to host the contest in 1974 for the second time running on the grounds of expense and the 1974 contest was ultimately held in Brighton, the United Kingdom.[9] In 1984, Luxembourg hosted the contest for the final and most recent time at the Théâtre Municipal, which was the previous venue for the contest in 1973.

Between the country's debut in 1956 and 1993, Luxembourg only missed one contest in 1959. The country was absent from the event for the first time, having participated in all previous contests, and decided against participating late in the preparations for the contest as the country was listed among the participants in several radio and television listings.[10][11]

Following Luxembourg's twentieth place finish in 1993 and a string of bad results, the country was relegated from competing in 1994 according to the then Eurovision rules. However, RTL did not return in 1995 and officially withdrew from competing in the Eurovision Song Contest. In October 2003, RTL initially confirmed its participation at the 2004 contest,[12][13] however, on 3 November 2003, RTL withdrew their application to participate after monetary issues with the EBU, namely the participation fee.[14] Then-executive supervisor of the contest, Svante Stockselius, stated that "RTL has formally withdrawn their participation. However, we are looking into the payment fees and still discussing with Luxembourg, and hopefully we can still have them on for 2004."[14] RTL opted not to participate, with RTL programme director Alain Berwick stating that "Luxembourg will never return to the contest".[15] Despite rumours in June 2004 that RTL could return to the 2005 contest, Luxembourg did not appear on the final list of participants.[16]

In September 2009, director of RTL Steve Schmit met with EBU representatives, after which it was revealed that Luxembourg were considering entering the 2010 contest.[17] However, the plans did not materialise due to financial issues. On 13 September 2012, RTL confirmed that its withdrawal from competing in the contest was down to financial issues and a lack of "manpower". The broadcaster also stated that participation at the contest would entail a "financial and organisational strain" and that Eurovision does not fit in with its programming, but the broadcaster did not rule out future participation.[18][19]

On 31 July 2014, RTL confirmed that Luxembourg would not be returning to the contest in 2015.[20] However, it was reported on 26 October 2014 that the country's Minister of Culture, Maggy Nagel, expressed her desire for the country to return to the contest.[21][22][23] This was later confirmed by Nagel to be a "misunderstanding" and that the country would not be returning.[24] A collaboration with San Marino had been proposed by the broadcaster SMRTV and singer Thierry Mersch,[25][26] but later SMRTV clarified that there have only been talks between the two countries and the broadcaster is evaluating other proposals.[27] However, on 24 November 2014, it was announced that Mersch had failed to raise the necessary funds in time for the project to move forward.[28]

On 15 December 2022, it was revealed that the Luxembourgish prime minister Xavier Bettel had instigated discussions regarding the return of Luxembourg to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2024, with a team later created by the Luxembourgish government dedicated to ensuring the country's return to the contest.[29] On 12 May 2023, RTL and the EBU officially revealed that Luxembourg would return to the contest in 2024, marking the first Luxembourgish participation since 1993.[1] Following the announcement, CEO of RTL, Christophe Goossens, stated, "We are delighted that Luxembourg is returning to the Eurovision Song Contest – and even more excited that RTL Luxembourg will take on the exhilarating task of selecting the 2024 delegation. As a media company that is dedicated to the people of Luxembourg, we are looking forward to broadcasting the star-studded live shows. Viewers will be able to experience the Eurovision Song Contest in its full glory." RTL will broadcast the live shows, alongside local commentary across all platforms. A national final will be held on 27 January 2024 in order to select the 2024 Luxembourgish entry.[30]

Flags indicate the nationalities of conductors who were not Luxembourgish citizens.

Year	Conductor	Ref.
1956	Jacques Lasry	[38][39]
1957	Willy Berking †	[38][40]
1958	Dolf van der Linden †	[38][41]
1960	Eric Robinson †	[38][42]
1961	Léo Chauliac	[38][43]
1962	Jean Roderes ‡	[38][44]
1963	Eric Robinson	[38][42]
1964	Jacques Denjean	[38][45]
1965	Alain Goraguer	[38][46]
1966	Jean Roderes ‡	[38][44]
1967	Claude Denjean	[38][47]
1968	André Borly	[38][48]
1969	Augusto Algueró †	[38][49]
1970	Raymond Lefèvre	[50][51]
1971	Jean Claudric	[50][52]
1972	Klaus Munro	[50][53]
1973	Pierre Cao ‡	[50][54]
1974	Charles Blackwell	[50][55]
1975	Phil Coulter	[50][56]
1976	Jo Plée	[50][57]
1977	Johnny Arthey	[50][58]
1978	Rolf Soja	[50][59]
1979	Hervé Roy	[50][60]
1980	Norbert Daum	[61][62]
1981	Joël Rocher	[61][63]
1982	Jean Claudric	[52][61]
1983	Michel Bernholc	[61][64]
1984	Pascal Stive[lower-alpha 4]	[61][65]
1985	Norbert Daum	[61][62]
1986	Rolf Soja	[59][61]
1987	Alec Mansion	[61][66]
1988	Régis Dupré	[61][67]
1989	Benoît Kaufman †	[61][68]
1990	Thierry Durbet	[69][70]
1991	Francis Goya	[69][71]
1992	Christian Jacob	[69][72]
1993	Francis Goya	[69][71]

Through the 37 years Luxembourg took part in the Eurovision Song Contest, the contest was broadcast on two channels (RTL TV and RTL Hei Elei), but the contest was mostly broadcast on the French section of RTL until it was divided in 1991 and after that it was broadcast in Luxembourgish. However, only one commentator, Maurice Molitor, was native to Luxembourg.