Eurovision Announces Israel Will Be Allowed to Compete in 2026 As Several Countries Announce Boycotts

The ongoing Israel-Hamas War, now in its third year, has cast a shadow over the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, which is set for May 16 in Vienna, Austria.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced on Thursday (Dec. 4) that, despite calls from several international broadcasters to ban Israel from participating at the 2026 contest, “all EBU Members who wish to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and agree to comply with the new rules are eligible to take part.” In response, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia responded they will not take part in the annual competition. Iceland, which had previously threatened a boycott, is also expected to also withdraw.

Dutch broadcaster Avrotros said that “participation under the current circumstances is incompatible with the public values ​​that are essential to us.”

Spanish broadcaster RTVE added: “The board of directors of RTVE agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel was part of it. This withdrawal also means that RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final … nor the preliminary semi-finals.”

The Gaza war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas led a surprise attack on Israel, in which 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed and 251 were taken hostage. Since the start of the Israeli offensive that followed, more than 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, and more than 170,000 injured.

This isn’t the first time that global politics have affected the Eurovision Song Contest, which was founded in 1956. Previous conflicts have centered on Armenia–Azerbaijan relations; Russia and Ukraine; and Georgia and Russia. One of the stated aims of the contest is that the event is of a non-political nature.