Five Countries Withdraw from Eurovision 2026 Over Israeli Participation

Five countries – Spain, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Slovenia – are boycotting Eurovision 2026 in protest over the presence of an Israeli contestant. The boycott has reduced the number of participating countries to 35 for the contest's 70th edition. Noam Bettan, Israel's contestant, performed the song "Michelle" during the first semi-final on May 12, 2026 in Vienna.

The Eurovision 2026 final will be held at Vienna's Stadthalle on Saturday, May 16. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are planned in Vienna as the event unfolds. Le Monde reported that Eurovision's slogan "United by Music" rings especially hollow this year amid dissent over Israel's participation.

RTV Slovenia announced its programming will focus on the thematic series "Voices of Palestine" instead of the Eurovision circus. The public broadcaster operates in a country where public opinion is strongly opposed to the war in Gaza. Ireland and Spain have decided not to broadcast the event.

Bulgaria and Romania are returning to the competition after a two-year absence. The five boycotting states represent a significant financial loss for the European Broadcasting Union, which oversees Eurovision. Spain had been one of the five largest financial contributors to the competition, alongside France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

These countries automatically qualify for the final due to their financial support. The absence of Spain in particular marks a notable shift for the longstanding event.