Ireland confirms second consecutive Eurovision boycott over Israel's participation as organizers implement new rules

The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest faced unprecedented backlash when five countries—the Netherlands, Spain, Iceland, Slovenia, and Ireland—boycotted over Israel's participation amid the war in Gaza.[1][2] The contest saw viewership plummet from 166 million in 2025 to 131 million in 2026.[3] Ireland has now confirmed it will sit out the 2027 contest for a second straight year, though the Netherlands initially withdrew before reversing course when its public broadcaster NPO rejoined.[4][5]

In response to the crisis, contest organizers have rolled out several measures. In August 2026, they announced a new rule preventing the winning broadcaster from hosting if an armed conflict or sensitive geopolitical situation threatens their state's security or stability—a move that would effectively bar Israel from hosting despite coming close to victory in both 2025 and 2026.[6][7] Organizers are also overhauling the voting system to curb politically motivated participation, shifting entirely online and requiring voters to select three acts rather than one.[8] The change follows 2025 controversy when the Israeli government encouraged citizens to register multiple votes for its contestant, leading organizers to cap public votes at 10 instead of 20.[9][10]

Bulgaria will host the 2027 contest in Burgas after singer Dara won with "Bangaranga."[11][12] Eurovision director Martin Green stressed that unity through music grows more vital as global tensions mount.