The Eurovision Song Contest faces a significant crisis as three major participating nations have announced they will boycott the 2026 event. This follows a contentious decision by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to allow Israel to compete without holding a specific vote on its participation, despite calls for its exclusion from several broadcasters.
The EBU's Decision and Immediate Fallout
At a general assembly in Geneva, the EBU, which organises the hugely popular international singing competition, opted not to hold a ballot on Israel's future involvement. Instead, members voted to introduce new rules aimed at preventing governments and third parties from excessively promoting songs to sway public voting. The EBU stated that a large majority of members agreed no further vote was needed and that the 2026 contest in Vienna should proceed as planned with these additional safeguards.
This outcome has provoked a strong reaction. Spanish broadcaster RTVE declared it would not broadcast the contest or its semi-finals next year, labelling the decision-making process as "insufficient" and a source of "distrust." RTVE was among eight countries that had formally requested a secret ballot on the issue.
Dutch broadcaster Avrotros followed suit, announcing its withdrawal on Thursday afternoon. It stated that, after considering all perspectives, participation "cannot be reconciled with the public values that are fundamental to our organisation" under the current circumstances.
Broader Context and Political Pressure
The controversy stems from ongoing disputes about Israel's participation during its military campaign in Gaza. Israel competed in the past two contests, and in May, its entry topped the public vote, finishing second overall. This success led to concerns from some countries about undue promotion methods, indirectly prompting the new rules on campaign influence.
The proposed rule changes were seen as a concession to broadcasters critical of Israel, but clearly failed to satisfy Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Attention now turns to other nations whose broadcasters had threatened to boycott if Israel remained, including Iceland and Slovenia.
The situation draws a parallel with the EBU's previous decision to ban Russia from Eurovision following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, highlighting the political tightrope the organisation walks. Golan Yochpaz, chief executive of Israeli broadcaster Kan, argued in September that Israel should remain a significant part of the cultural event, which must not become political.
International Reactions and the Road to Vienna
The decision has revealed a split within Europe's broadcasting community. In contrast to the boycotting nations, German broadcaster SWR asserted ahead of the meeting that Israel was entitled to compete, noting the contest is for broadcasters, not governments, and that Kan meets all participation requirements. Leading German politicians had even suggested SWR should withdraw in solidarity if Israel were excluded.
ORF, the Austrian host broadcaster for the 2026 contest, also expressed its desire for Israel to compete. The 70th edition of the world's largest live music event will be held in Vienna following Austrian singer JJ's victory this year in Basel.
The boycott by three founding and historically successful Eurovision nations marks one of the most profound internal disputes in the contest's recent history, setting the stage for a deeply polarised event in 2026.
