Shortly after the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2013, the Italian broadcaster RAI revealed that they were interested in participating in the 2014 contest and attended a workshop for interested broadcasters. On 8 July 2014, it was announced that Italy would in fact make their debut in the 2014 contest. Two months later on 4 September 2014, the broadcaster revealed that Vincenzo Cantiello had been internally selected to represent the country with the song "Tu primo grande amore" in Marsa, Malta.