Which countries are boycotting Eurovision 2026 and why?
A decision was made to allow Israel to compete in the contest next year.
Ahead of tonight's first Eurovision semi-final, audiences will notice that five nations are missing from the running order, following their decision to boycott the competition.
Last year, a number of countries chose to boycott Eurovision 2026 after Israel was given the go-ahead to compete.
There had been calls from multiple participating nations for Israel to be banned from this year's contest due to the ongoing war in Gaza.
But in December, the singing contest’s organising body, the European Broadcasting Union, declined to expel the country from competing in the 2026 contest.
Members from 37 countries voted to adopt tougher contest voting rules, following allegations that Israel manipulated the vote in favour of its contestants, at the EBU general assembly, but no vote on Israel’s participation was held.
It's a decision that has led to five countries confirming they will be boycotting the competition.
Which countries have confirmed they will be boycotting next year's contest? 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 confirmed to be boycotting Eurovision 2026 are:
- Ireland
- Spain
- The Netherlands
- Slovenia
- Iceland
Why are some countries boycotting Eurovision 2026?
Late last year, 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, five countries have confirmed they will 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."
Meanwhile, Iceland's RÚV said in a statement that “given the public debate in this country … it is clear that neither joy nor peace will prevail regarding the participation of RÚV in Eurovision. It is therefore the conclusion of RÚV to notify the EBU today that RÚV will not take part in Eurovision next year.”
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."
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The Eurovision Song Contest has faced significant criticism over its decision to allow Israel to take part in the event due to the ongoing war in Gaza.
This year, a number of countries will boycott the contest following the European Broadcasting Union’s decision not to expel Israel from the competition.
At the EBU general assembly in December 2025, a vote was held to introduce new rules that would stop governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voters. No vote was held on Israel’s participation.
The EBU said in a statement: "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."
Following this, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland confirmed they would not participate in this year’s Eurovision.
Irish broadcaster RTÉ said: "RTÉ feels that Ireland’s 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."
The BBC, which broadcasts the competition in the UK, has said it supports the decision made by the EBU. "This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive," it said in a statement.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final will take place on Saturday 16 May 2026.
You can also check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision.
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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.
