Téléthon 2026 40th edition, Digi Mart USA News: France Télévisions has unveiled an extensive broadcast setup for the 40th edition of the Téléthon, which will run Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5, 2026. The annual event aims to raise as much money as possible to support research into treatments for rare diseases.
Singer Patrick Fiori has been chosen as godfather of this edition. His close friend Soprano has composed a piece of music for the occasion, which will be unveiled soon.
The production has also announced dozens of celebrities expected to take part.
In total, the program will offer 30 hours of continuous live broadcast, from Friday, December 4 at 6:45 p.m. to Sunday, December 6 at 1:30 a.m., on France 2 and France 3.
Sophie Davant and Nagui will open the festivities with the show “Renverser la maladie” from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
on France 2.
Cyril Féraud will replace Nagui for a musical evening titled “Patrick Fiori & ses amis, ensemble contre la maladie,” alongside the godfather, broadcast on France 3 from 9:10 p.m. to 12:35 a.m.
The evening will continue with “La Nuit du Téléthon 2026,” hosted by Marie Portolano, focusing on 40 years of struggle and scientific progress.
On Saturday, December 5, mobilization resumes in the morning with “Au cœur des labos : 40 ans de révolutions scientifiques,” presented by Carole Tolila and Thomas Isle on France 2. In the afternoon, Flavie Flament and Adrien Rohard take over on France 3 from 1:35 p.m.
to 6:50 p.m.
The day ends with the music program “Si on chantait ensemble pour renverser la maladie,” hosted by Sophie Davant and Nagui, followed by another special evening, “Patrick Fiori & ses amis, ensemble contre la maladie,” broadcast on France 2 from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
The Téléthon will also be broadcast live on Twitch, with 200 streamers and content creators offering livestreams covering video games, sports, cooking, culture and more. The Téléthon Cup, a video game competition, will be streamed live on the platform.
A major novelty this year is two buses crossing France toward Paris. One departs from Fouras in Charente-Maritime in the west and the other from Barby in Savoie in the east, meeting volunteers and mobilized citizens along the way.
Departure is scheduled for December 4 at 7 p.m., with arrival at the Téléthon studio set the following day at 11 p.m.
The grand prize draw has also been expanded for the anniversary, with cars, travel, concert tickets for Céline Dion, tickets for the Césars and many more prizes. The draw entry ticket costs €10.
As last year, the Téléthon switchboard will move into the France Télévisions lobby, with twelve listening lines open 24 hours a day.
To donate, visit telethon.fr or call 3637. Last year, total donations surpassed €100 million.
