Earlier this week the official list of participating countries was revealed. A day after European Broadcasting Union made another announcement where said that submission window is still open and they will accept up to 20 countries to participate in case they want.
Eurovision site escxtra.com asked to Australian broadcaster SBS about their plans of participating in the upcoming “Junior Eurovision 2020” after the new format was announced.
Their response from an SBS spokesperson confirmed that travel restrictions, and the fact that the EBU had not communicated the new format to them at the time of their decision, was behind their withdrawal earlier this summer:
“Due to the restrictions and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, SBS informed the EBU in July that Australia would not be competing in the Junior Eurovision Contest 2020. The new format had not been confirmed or communicated at this stage.”
Let us remind that according to the new format adopted to COVID-19 pandemic each artist will perform in the TV studio in his own country.