The Sanremo Festival, a renowned event for Italian music, could undergo significant modifications beginning in 2026. The Regional Administrative Court of Liguria ruled that the Municipality of Sanremo's direct assignment to Rai for the event's organization for both the 2024 and 2025 editions was invalid. Nevertheless, the judges have determined that the upcoming edition in February will proceed as scheduled, with Carlo Conti serving as both an artistic director and conductor. Starting in 2026, the Municipality will be required to conduct a public tender to assign the Festival's administration, thereby exposing it to interested operators in the industry. This ruling is the outcome of an appeal filed by Sergio Cerruti, president of the Italian Phonographic Association (AFI), which seeks to renew the Festival's organization and call into question its exclusive relationship with the city of Sanremo. Cerruti also contested Rai’s exclusive use of the Festival della Canzone Italiana brand. The court justified the green light for the 2025 edition by emphasizing the unreasonableness of disrupting the event so close to its completion, but the decision opens up new possibilities for the future of one of Italy's cultural landmarks.