Five countries boycotted Eurovision in 2026, and viewership dropped from 166 million to 131 million. Organizers are changing voting and hosting rules as they extend the contest beyond Europe. The dispute over Israel’s participation during the war on Gaza has put broadcasters’ choices and Eurovision’s rules at the centre of its future.
Boycotts and broadcaster decisions
The Netherlands, Spain, Iceland, Slovenia and Ireland stayed away from the 2026 contest. Ireland confirmed it won’t participate for a second time in a row. The Netherlands’ usual Eurovision broadcaster said it would again snub the event, refusing to take part in a contest that “can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict.”
The Dutch public broadcasting association NPO later decided to resume participation. Spain, Iceland and Slovenia haven’t announced whether they will take part in 2027. Broadcasters can withdraw their applications without a financial penalty until mid-October 2026.
Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green discussed the contest’s role at the European Broadcasting Union’s annual workshop in mid-September. “Bringing the world together through music has always been an incredibly powerful idea and has stood the test of time for 70 years,” he told DW. “And I think the more difficult the world gets around us, the more important these shows of unity, these shows of togetherness become.” The contest marked its 70th anniversary in May.
New rules on hosting and voting
Organizers announced new hosting rules in August. If an armed conflict, sensitive geopolitical situation or another situation materially affects the security, safety or stability of its state or immediate region, the winning broadcaster can’t host the following contest, organizers said. The rule doesn’t name a country.
The United Kingdom hosted the 2023 event on Ukraine’s behalf because of Russia’s war on Ukraine. The report said organizers designed the rule to avoid holding the show in Israel, which came close to winning in 2025 and 2026.
Organizers also plan to change public voting after controversy in 2025, when the Israeli government encouraged Israelis to register multiple votes for its contestant. Viewers can now cast up to 10 votes per payment method by phone, text message or online. After the controversy, organizers cut the maximum from 20 votes to 10. Under the planned changes, voters will choose three acts online instead of one.
Expansion beyond Europe
Bulgaria will host the 2027 contest in Burgas, on the Black Sea coast, after singer Dara won in Vienna with “Bangaranga.” Bulgaria first took part in 2005 and is developing infrastructure for the event. Milena Milotinova, general director of Bulgaria’s public broadcaster BNT, said residents celebrated Burgas’s selection with spontaneous music and dance performances and flash mobs.
Eurovision Song Contest Asia is scheduled to debut in November 2026 in Bangkok, with 11 countries taking part. Negotiations are under way to attract more Asian countries in 2027. A Latin American spin-off was announced previously but hasn’t materialized. “We’re always investigating new areas of the world that we can take the show to,” Green said.
Organizers announced Canada’s addition to the lineup in July, with its debut planned for 2027. Participation is open to active members of the European Broadcasting Union and isn’t restricted to Europe’s geographic boundaries. Israel’s public broadcaster has competed regularly since 1973, while Australia joined as a special participant in 2015 and has remained a contestant. Canada’s participation is also a strategic effort by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government to deepen cultural and diplomatic ties with Europe. The government budget included $150 million Canadian (€93 million, $106 million) in funding for the broadcaster.