Israel Cleared to Compete at Eurovision 2026 as Organizers Decline Ban Vote
Israel will compete in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest after the event’s governing body chose not to vote on a proposal to exclude the country. Representatives from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which oversees the long-running international music competition, held a closed meeting in Geneva on Thursday to address calls for a ban amid the ongoing Israel–Gaza conflict.
In a statement following the meeting, the EBU said that “a large majority” of its members saw no need for a formal vote on Israel’s eligibility. The organization confirmed that the contest will proceed as planned, but with new safeguards designed to reinforce neutrality and limit outside influence on Eurovision’s voting process.
The EBU said the updated rules aim to protect the contest’s independence and reduce the involvement of governments, political organizations, or third parties in voting mobilization. Several member broadcasters had previously accused Israel of mobilizing unofficial online efforts to support its 2025 contestant, Yuval Raphael.
While Israel remains eligible to participate, several national broadcasters have chosen to withdraw from the 2026 event in protest. Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, and the Netherlands have all confirmed they will not send artists to Vienna next May, citing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and concerns over the optics of competing alongside Israel.
Ireland’s public broadcaster, RTÉ, said continuing participation was “unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.”
Belgium and Iceland have not yet made final decisions on whether they will compete, according to the BBC. Germany, however, has publicly backed Israel’s inclusion.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked the EBU for allowing the country to remain in the competition, describing the move as “an appreciated gesture of solidarity, brotherhood, and cooperation,” and a rejection of efforts to exclude Israeli artists from international cultural stages.
Advocacy group Creative Community for Peace, which opposes cultural boycotts, praised the ruling. In a statement, the organization said the EBU “made the right decision,” arguing that excluding artists based on nationality undermines the contest’s mission.
Producer Scooter Braun added that artists “should never be discriminated against for who they are, who they love, or where they’re born.”
The Eurovision Song Contest, founded in 1956, remains one of the world’s most widely watched cultural broadcasts. Last year’s competition reached an estimated 166 million viewers across multiple platforms. The 2026 edition is scheduled to take place in May in Vienna, Austria, and is expected to proceed with the updated rules and any participating member countries that do not join the boycott.
