Several European countries are set to boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia have all announced that they will not participate in or broadcast the contest in Vienna, citing Israel’s inclusion while the war in Gaza continues. Their decisions mark one of the most coordinated withdrawals from Eurovision in recent years.
Ireland’s public broadcaster RTÉ has confirmed that it will neither send an act nor air the show, arguing that taking part would be incompatible with its responsibilities as a public service broadcaster during an ongoing conflict in which civilians are suffering heavily. They released a statement saying that their participation “remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza”. Spain’s RTVE, traditionally one of the key funding pillars of Eurovision, has echoed those concerns, stating that it cannot justify participation. At the same time, Israel is allowed to compete under the current circumstances. Dutch broadcaster Avrotros and RTV Slovenia have issued similar statements, formally aligning themselves with the boycott and stressing that their decisions are directed at states and institutions rather than individual performers.
Broadcasters behind the boycott point primarily to the war in Gaza, highlighting high civilian casualties, the humanitarian crisis and repeated calls from rights groups for stronger international pressure on Israel. They argue that sharing a stage with Israel in what is framed as a celebratory entertainment event risks normalising the conflict and undermining their own stance on human rights and international law. Some executives and commentators have also referred to earlier allegations about irregularities or possible unfair influence in Eurovision voting, saying these disputes have made it harder to claim that the contest is fully detached from political agendas.
The boycotts are not a first for the competition. In 1969, the UK, Spain, France and the Netherlands were declared joint winners after all securing 18 points. In response, Finland, Portugal, Norway and Sweden boycotted the contest the following year. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs Eurovision, introduced a tiebreak rule a year later. Another more politically motivated boycott was in 1975 and 1976, when Greece and Turkey boycotted the event after Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974.
The EBU has defended the decision to allow Israel to participate, describing the contest as a competition between independent broadcasters rather than between governments. The EBU points to planned voting reforms, including a stronger role for professional juries and stricter general oversight, as evidence that it is addressing concerns about fairness while keeping the event open to all eligible members. Major broadcasters such as the BBC and Austria’s ORF have publicly supported Israel’s continued participation, warning that exclusions based on foreign policy would politicise the event even further and could trigger boycotts in the opposite direction, deepening divisions in the Eurovision community.
Featured image credits: MrSilesian
