Eurovision Allows Israel To Compete In 2026; Spain & The Netherlands Immediately Say They Will Boycott Competition
The row over Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest has deepened with Israel now officially allowed to compete, and some nations already boycotting.
The Netherlands, Spain and Ireland have swiftly said they will not take part next year after a meeting of participating broadcasters said Israel would be let in.
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.”
Ireland was also reported to be boycotting by BBC News.
RTVE had led calls for Israel’s dismissal and BBC News reported that the Spanish broadcaster requested a secret ballot on Israel’s participation.
Due to the Israel-Hamas War, Spain the Netherlands and Ireland, along with Slovenia and Iceland, had threatened boycotts. Slovenia and Iceland are now expected to withdraw from the competition.
The European Broadcasting Union had been under pressure to act. Last week, it tightened its rules around voting and promotion ahead of the key meeting, but didn’t signal what would happen to Israel’s participation.
Speaking to Deadline several months back about Eurovision’s global expansion, director Martin Green said Eurovision is “not immune to what’s going on in the world, and neither should we be,” before adding: “But I do think there is a place, particularly in sport and entertainment, for major events that seek, momentarily, to sit to one side. There has to be a space where we can come together and just enjoy ourselves, but also, more seriously, to paint a picture of a world as it could be, rather than as it is.”
Russia has been banned from the contest since the start of the war in Ukraine.
