Eurovision 2027: Iceland, Ireland and the Netherlands Announce Boycott over Israel’s Participation

Iceland, Ireland and the Netherlands have announced a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 over Israel’s participation in the event. Eurovision, the world’s largest annual international music competition, has been held every year since 1956. According to the international news agency Reuters, Eurovision 2027 will take place in May next year in the Bulgarian city of Burgas, with Canada participating for the first time. A total of 36 countries are expected to take part in the event.

Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan (KAN), has confirmed the country’s participation in the competition. Following the announcement, Iceland, Ireland and the Netherlands have declared their withdrawal from the contest for the second consecutive year in protest against Israel’s participation. Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia boycotted this year’s competition. These countries had protested against Israel’s military operations in Gaza and called for Israel to be excluded from the contest. Israel, meanwhile, maintained that it was being targeted by an international campaign of hostility.

Eurovision Director Martin Green said in a statement that, in a world where divisions appear to be growing, the competition brings people closer together through music, transcending borders, languages and cultures. He added that the importance of this mission is greater than ever today. North Macedonia will return to the competition for the first time since 2022. Several other countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Australia, will also participate. It is worth noting that Eurovision 2026 attracted an estimated global audience of approximately 130 million viewers. However, Israel’s participation in the 2027 competition and the boycott announced by several European countries has once again brought political divisions into the spotlight. Eurovision 2026 was held in Vienna, the capital of Austria, where Bulgarian singer DARA won the competition with her song “Bangaranga.”