Ireland, Spain and more countries withdraw from Eurovision Song Contest 2026

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Broadcasters in Ireland and Spain, among others, have said they won’t participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. This decision comes after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed today that Israel will be allowed to compete in the 2025 event, which will be held in Austria.

During a recent meeting in Geneva, members of the EBU held a private vote to decide if new, tougher regulations would effectively prevent governments and outside groups from unfairly favoring certain entries.

Following claims that Israel used paid advertising to unfairly improve its position in the contest, a vote was held. BBC News reports that Israel hasn’t publicly addressed these accusations.

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Because the new regulations were approved, a separate vote on whether Israel could participate wasn’t needed. This participation has been a source of significant debate recently, largely due to worries about the impact of the conflict in Gaza on civilians.

So, after hearing what happened, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, and the Netherlands all said they’re skipping the contest this year. And honestly, it sounds like a bunch more countries are going to announce they’re doing the same soon, over the next few weeks.

Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTÉ, has confirmed it will not participate in or broadcast the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. This decision follows today’s meeting of the European Broadcasting Union in Geneva, where Israel’s participation in the contest was approved, but RTÉ’s stance remains the same.

RTÉ believes it would be wrong for Ireland to participate, considering the devastating loss of life and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which continues to endanger civilians. RTÉ is also very worried about the killing of journalists in Gaza and the fact that international reporters are still being prevented from entering the area.

Spain’s public broadcaster, RTVE, announced that its board decided back in September that the country would pull out of the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participated.

Because of this decision, RTVE will no longer be broadcasting the Eurovision 2026 final, or the shows leading up to it.

Ireland, represented by singer Emmy in 2025, shares the record for the most Eurovision wins with Sweden – both countries have won the competition seven times.

Spain, represented this year by Melody, has won the competition twice before. As one of the “Big Five” – along with France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom – Spain is a major financial supporter of the event. The “Big Five” designation is given to countries whose broadcasters contribute the most funding.

Both Slovenia and the Netherlands have decided not to participate, with the Dutch broadcaster Avrotros explaining that, given the current situation, having Israel involved doesn’t align with their core public values.

Slovenian broadcaster RTV has also decided to boycott, and Iceland’s RÚV will decide if they will join next week.

Finland’s broadcaster Yle has confirmed it will still participate as planned. Regarding the United Kingdom, a BBC spokesperson told BBC News that they support the decision made by the European Broadcasting Union’s members, explaining it’s about upholding the rules and ensuring inclusivity.

Eurovision 2026 is slated for two semi-finals on 12 and 14 May, with a final on 16 May.

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2025-12-04 23:19