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LAST UPDATE | 5 Dec 2025
RTÉ’S CONFIRMATION YESTERDAY that Ireland will not take part in Eurovision 2026 came alongside similar announcements from Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia.
The decisions followed confirmation that Israel would be allowed remain in next year’s competition, after a vote in Geneva by EBU members to approve new voting-system reforms.
The vote, by secret ballot, was passed by members – making it clear there would not be enough support among the broadcasters for any additional vote to bar Israel from the contest.
RTÉ said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the targeting of journalists made participation “unconscionable”.
Over 70,000 people in Gaza have been killed by Israel forces since 7 October 2023. Over 200 journalists have also been killed in the region.
Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia separately confirmed they would also not take part in the competition, set to be hosted in Vienna.
National broadcasters from the various countries represented at Eurovision manage their nation’s entry each year, and the contest is staged by the EBU – which is, essentially, an umbrella body for the broadcasters.
The four withdrawals last night do not necessarily mean a broader boycott is building — but they do place fresh attention on several other broadcasters, who have said they have not yet decided whether they will compete.
Iceland is the one to watch for now.
Its broadcaster RÚV said yesterday that it will not make a final decision until its board meets next Wednesday.
Iceland had previously recommended that Israel be expelled from the competition.
Finland’s national broadcaster Yle has also said they are “considering” their position but have not confirmed withdrawal.
The German broadcaster SWR, which had previously threatened to exit if Israel was removed, welcomed the EBU’s decision and said it is “looking forward to participating” next year as a celebration of “cultural diversity and solidarity”.
The BBC has not yet confirmed UK participation, though the Conservative Party said it is “absolutely right” for Israel to be part of Eurovision, and described the boycotts by several countries as “deeply concerning”.
Belgium’s broadcaster RTBF and Sweden’s STV also confirmed that the countries, which had reportedly been considering a boycott, will be taking part in the competition next year.
Australia’s broadcaster SBS said it will continue in the contest, saying decisions based on “the inclusion or exclusion of any country” would undermine its editorial independence.
The head of Austria’s ORF also welcomed the inclusion of Israel and its host broadcaster KAN, saying it was important “not to burn any bridges”.
Broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm whether they’re taking part or not.
It’s usually the case that individual countries hold their own selection processes in the early months of any contest year – so we’ll see acts confirmed by the various competing broadcasters within the next few months.
Spain’s exit is particularly significant because it is part of the Big Five, the core funders of Eurovision (alongside the UK, France, Germany and Italy) who automatically qualify for the grand final.
Spain’s broadcaster RTVE is one of the contest’s major financial contributors.
In 2024, it spent more than €595,000 on Eurovision, including over €334,000 in participation fees alone.
Eurovision expert Paul Jordan described it as “a big blow” to the EBU.
“We’ve now got less countries, meaning that the price of entering goes up for others,” Jordan said.
“So it’s not a simple thing, and I don’t think there are any winners here at all.”
The Netherlands also contributes heavily, with a roughly €500,000 annual Eurovision budget, half of which goes on participation fees supported by government funds.
Slovenia’s withdrawal is a smaller financial blow but symbolically notable: it is usually a consistent participant and rarely involved in political pullouts.
Ireland’s exit removes a strong legacy competitor (Ireland still boasts the joint highest number of wins in the contest, alongside Sweden) and comes against the backdrop of RTÉ’s own financial pressures.
In recent years, RTÉ’s participation costs have ranged from €315,000 to nearly €390,000, including staging, travel, accommodation and EBU fees.
According to the EBU, the Eurovision Song Contest is a non-profit event financed by a number of ways, including:
Spain and the Netherlands stepping back therefore removes two sizeable contributors from the pot, while Ireland and Slovenia reduce the number of smaller and mid-size funders.
If the cost of entering goes up, there’s a chance some smaller nations are more hard-pressed broadcasters may be put off and also decide to skip the contest for a year.
The contest is still scheduled for Vienna with the standard format.
The ‘Big Five’ (now ‘Big Four’) automatically qualify for the grand final, and two semi-finals determine the remaining finalists (a system introduced in 2004).
There were 37 entrants in 2025, and 26 finalists.
The number of entrants for 2026 is not yet confirmed, but if the layout is the same as this year, the competition is down to 33 participating nations, including Israel.
If any additional countries withdraw, the EBU may have to reshape the semi-finals or make other logistical adjustments.
For now, the EBU says a “large majority” of members supported its new safeguards and were satisfied that no further vote on participation was needed.
The next major moment is mid-December, when all broadcasters must formally confirm attendance.
By that point, the EBU will know the scale of the 2026 lineup, and whether Vienna will be staging a slightly smaller contest, or – in the event of a larger number of countries also withdrawing – facing one of the most politically complicated editions in Eurovision’s 70-year history.
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