Daily Briefing -- Monday, 9 March 2026

Bandidos do Cante to Represent Portugal at Eurovision

The Alentejo vocal group Bandidos do Cante won the Festival da Cancao on Saturday night with their song "Rosa," securing Portugal's place at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna. The group, from Beja, were among the few competitors willing to attend the contest, with seven of ten finalists having publicly stated they would boycott Eurovision if they won.

Benfica Come From Behind in 2-2 Classico Draw

Benfica recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with league leaders Porto at the Estadio da Luz on Sunday. Porto led through goals from Froholdt and Pietuszewski before Andreas Schjelderup and Leandro Barreiro levelled for the hosts. The result keeps Porto top of the Primeira Liga but preserves Benfica's unbeaten run.

Housing Deficit Estimated at 300,000 Homes

Industry analysts say Portugal needs to triple its annual housing construction from 20,000 to approximately 70,000 new homes per year to close the national housing gap by the end of the decade. The shortage has been driven by a decade of underbuilding combined with rising demand from urbanisation, immigration, and international investment.

Nisa Municipality Introduces Free School Meals

The Nisa City Council in Portalegre district will invest more than EUR165,000 to provide free meals for all 537 students in the municipality's schools, regardless of family income. The measure was proposed by Mayor Jose Dinis Serra and approved at a council meeting on 2 March.

Tax Season Reminder: e-Fatura Deadline Has Passed

The deadline for validating 2025 invoices on the Portal das Financas was 2 March. Taxpayers who missed it may face complications when filing their IRS Modelo 3 returns, which open on 1 April and run through 30 June. Residents and tax-registered foreigners should ensure their household composition is also correctly declared.

Angels Way Hosts Largest Startup Investment Event Yet

Portugal's biggest angel investment community, Angels Way, held its first major annual gathering at Cloudflare's Lisbon offices on 27 February. Around 120 investors and founders attended, with eight AI-focused startups presenting pitches. The community has grown to 436 investors since launching in 2025.

EU Opens AI Incubation Spaces in Lisbon and Guimaraes

The BSC AI Factory has launched its second call for startups to join incubation spaces at locations including Lisbon and Guimaraes, running from April through September 2026. The programme provides workspace and access to a European AI network at no cost to selected companies.