Italy's most popular song contest returns to its usual venue at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo, a seaside town on the northwest Ligurian coast, with 25 artists battling it out over five nights from 1-5 February 2022. The event, whose official title is the Festival della canzone italiana di Sanremo, has been held every year since 1951, making it the world's longest-running annual televised music competition at a national level.

Now in its 72nd edition, Sanremo was the inspiration for the Eurovision Song Contest and the winner often represents Italy in the European competition, which this year will be held in Turin on 14 May. Over the years Sanremo has launched the careers of numerous Italian acts, notably Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti and Zucchero, as well as last year's winners Mäneskin who will return as special guests in 2022.