EBU to hold vote on Israel’s Eurovision participation amid boycott threats

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has confirmed it will hold a vote this November that could determine whether Israel is allowed to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.

In a letter sent to member broadcasters on Thursday, EBU President Delphine Ernotte Cunci acknowledged an “unprecedented diversity of views” around Israel’s participation and said the issue now “requires a broader democratic basis”.

“A vote on participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place at an extraordinary meeting of the EBU’s General Assembly to be held online in early November,” the EBU said in a statement.

The decision comes amid mounting pressure from multiple European broadcasters, including those in Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, and Slovenia, who have threatened to boycott the 2026 event if Israel remains in the lineup.

Tensions have escalated in recent years over Israel’s role in the contest, particularly in light of its ongoing military actions in Gaza. While Russia was banned from Eurovision following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Israel has continued to participate despite growing criticism.

Both the 2024 contest in Malmö, Sweden, and the 2025 edition in Basel, Switzerland, were marked by widespread pro-Palestinian protests outside venues, drawing global attention to the controversy.

The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, marking the 70th anniversary of the iconic event, is scheduled to take place in Vienna, Austria, next May.

Austria’s national broadcaster ORF, which is hosting the event, said this week it is preparing for the show to go ahead regardless of the outcome of the November vote or any resulting broadcaster withdrawals.