Which countries are boycotting Eurovision 2026 and why? UK response explained
A decision was made to allow Israel to compete in the contest next year.
A number of countries are choosing to boycott Eurovision 2026, including one of the "Big 5", with other nations expected to follow suit, after a decision was made to allow Israel to compete in the upcoming singing contest.
Eurovision 2026 is to be held in Vienna, Austria in May of next year after the country's entrant JJ won the competition hosted this year in Basel, Switzerland with his song Wasted Love.
After calls from multiple participating nations to ban Israel from next year's contest following the ongoing war in Gaza, members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) voted to approve new rules regarding the unfair promotion of songs "to reinforce trust, transparency and the neutrality of the event".
"A large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place," the organisation added.
As a result, there was no separate vote on Israel's place in the competition and the country will be able to take part in Vienna.
This decision led to four countries confirming they will be boycotting next year's competition, but which countries are they? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the landmark decision and how the BBC has responded.
Which countries are boycotting Eurovision 2026?
The countries that have so far confirmed to be boycotting Eurovision 2026 are:
• Ireland
• Spain
• The Netherlands
• Slovenia
Other nations may yet follow the likes of the four countries already boycotting with Belgium's broadcaster confirming it would "take a position in the coming days" and Iceland saying it will reach a decision by next week despite saying it "supported" the EBU's decision.
Why are some countries boycotting Eurovision 2026?
Last week, around 50 broadcasters from Eurovision participating countries, including the BBC, attended an EBU meeting to decide on new safeguarding measures for the contest.
The meeting was held after a number of countries called for Israel to be excluded from the singing competition over the war in Gaza and accusations of unfair voting practices.
Attending broadcasters were urged to support new regulations designed to prevent governments and outside groups from running voting drives for their own acts, following claims that Israel's promotion of its contestant, Yuval Raphael, gave the act an unfair boost this year.
A "large majority" of those who voted found that there was no need for an additional vote on participation, and Eurovision 2026 could go ahead as planned.
In response, four countries confirmed they would be boycotting Eurovision 2026 with the Irish broadcaster citing that "participation remains 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".
Spain will also be boycotting despite being one of the "Big 5" countries of the competition alongside the UK, Italy, France and Germany, meaning their acts bypass straight to the final as they provide the most funding to the EBU.
The Spanish broadcaster RTVE said: "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."
This comes after Russia's continued ban from Eurovision following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
What is the UK's response to Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision 2026?
The UK will be participating in Eurovision 2026 with the BBC saying in a statement: "We support the collective decision made by members of the EBU. This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive."
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final will take place in May 2026 in Vienna, Austria.
You can check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision.
Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Phoebe Kowhai Barnes is a Freelance Writer who covers pop culture and entertainment programmes for the Radio Times. She previously worked as the Senior Assistant Editor at The Tab where she managed its local department. She obtained a BA (Hons) in English Literature from University of Nottingham.
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