Countries Threaten to Quit Eurovision if Israel Stays in Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 may look dramatically different next year, as several countries are threatening to pull out of the competition due to Israel’s involvement. Spain has been the first country to announce it will not compete in Eurovision if Israel remains in the contest. The Guardian stated that board members of Spain’s broadcaster RTVE voted in the majority of the decision.
PinkNews reports on September 11 that Ireland’s broadcaster RTÉ released a statement stating that the country’s involvement in Eurovision 2026 would be “unconscionable” if Israel is allowed to partake, due to the “ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza.”
Other countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had raised “concerns” about Israel being able to take part in the singing contest, according to PinkNews. The EBU stated that countries not participating in the contest, “Broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm if they wish to take part in next year’s event in Vienna. It is up to each Member to decide if they want to take part in the Contest, and we would respect any decision broadcasters make,” according to a Hollywood Reporter story.
Eurovision is an annual international music competition organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that was first held in 1956. Performers are from European countries, but other countries, such as Australia and Israel, also participate, singing songs that span all genres of music.
If Israel is removed from the Eurovision contest, it may have another contest to participate in, as The Guardian reports Russia is gearing up to revive its Soviet-era alternative to Eurovision—the Intervision song contest—which is set to begin in Moscow on Saturday. The outlet cites that Russia was banned from Eurovision in 2022 after it invaded Ukraine, and the 2025 edition of Intervision will be the first since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Countries competing in the contest include China, India, Brazil, and South Africa—as well as post-Soviet allies such as Belarus and several states in central Asia.
