Iceland Joins Eurovision 2026 Boycott
Iceland has become the fifth country to boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, joining Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands in withdrawing after Israel’s participation was officially confirmed last week.
Stefan Eiriksson, director-general of Icelandic broadcaster RÚV, said there was “no peace or joy” surrounding the contest under current conditions. The broadcaster stated that Israel’s involvement had created “disunity” among EBU members and the wider public. RÚV’s board approved the withdrawal just hours before the deadline for confirming participation in what is meant to be Eurovision’s 70th-anniversary edition in Vienna next May.
Eurovision director Martin Green said the EBU respected the decisions of broadcasters opting out and expressed hope they would return in future contests.
Tensions around Israel’s role in Eurovision have grown due to the ongoing war in Gaza and concerns about voting integrity, including allegations that the Israeli government attempted to influence the public vote in 2025. Although the EBU approved new measures to protect the voting process, RÚV argued that doubts remained about their effectiveness.
Iceland had previously pushed for Israel’s exclusion and requested a vote on the matter at the EBU’s general meeting—an appeal that was denied. RÚV noted that many Icelandic artists and members of the public opposed participation and referenced earlier precedents for excluding broadcasters.
In response, KAN chief executive Golan Yochpaz condemned efforts to remove Israel, calling them a “cultural boycott” with unpredictable consequences for the contest’s future.
Israel has competed in Eurovision since 1973 and has won four times, most recently in 2018. Iceland has yet to win the contest but finished second in 1999 and 2009.
Meanwhile, Poland confirmed its participation, saying it hopes Eurovision can once again focus solely on music despite ongoing tensions.
