The Netherlands to Boycott Eurovision 2026 Over Israel’s Participation
The Netherlands will not take part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS pulled out after the contest organizers confirmed that Israel would still be allowed to compete.
Why the Netherlands is withdrawing
Several Dutch broadcasters, including AVROTROS, wanted Israel banned from Eurovision because of the ongoing war in Gaza.
AVROTROS CEO Taco Zimmerman said in a statement:
"This was not an easy decision. Eurovision is very important to us, but culture does not come at any cost. Last year’s events crossed our boundaries. Core values like humanity and a free press cannot be compromised."
The broadcaster also mentioned political interference in last year’s contest. Israel, which finished second, ran government campaigns encouraging people in other countries to vote for its entry. AVROTROS said staying true to its values as a public broadcaster was more important than participating.
Even though the Netherlands will not compete, the national broadcaster NPO will still broadcast the event to Dutch viewers.
Other countries pulling out
Besides the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia will also skip Eurovision 2026. Spain’s broadcaster RTVE has traditionally been a major supporter of Eurovision. Iceland and Belgium are still deciding whether they will participate.
The decision to allow Israel to compete was made under pressure at a meeting of European broadcasters in Geneva. Some countries opposed Israel’s participation, while others, like Germany and Austria, strongly supported it. Austria, which will host the 2026 contest in Vienna, said excluding Israel was "unthinkable" given its own history.
New voting rules coming
To prevent vote manipulation, Eurovision plans to introduce new rules for 2026. Media campaigns will be limited, and viewers will only be able to cast 10 votes per person, instead of the previous 20.
