Members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will vote in November on Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest set to take place in Vienna next year, the EBU announced on Friday.
Eurovision, which emphasizes its political neutrality, has faced controversy this year linked to the ongoing war in Gaza.
“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 told Reuters in a statement. The organization later clarified that the vote specifically concerns the participation of Israel’s public broadcaster, KAN.
Only public service broadcasters that are members of the EBU can participate in the widely watched contest, and KAN is the sole EBU member broadcaster in Israel, the EBU confirmed. KAN did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported on Thursday that EBU members had been informed of the vote through a letter from the organization’s president, Delphine Ernotte-Cunci. The newspaper included a screenshot of the letter, which stated that the EBU executive board acknowledged it could not reach a consensus on KAN’s involvement in the competition.
“Given that the Union has never faced a divisive situation like this before, the Board agreed that this question merited a broader democratic basis for a decision,” Ernotte-Cunci wrote in the letter, which the EBU has confirmed.
On September 16th, Spanish state broadcaster RTVE’s board voted to withdraw from the 2026 contest, scheduled for May in Vienna, should Israel participate. Spain is the fifth country to make such a pledge, following the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, and Ireland. Notably, Spain is the first of the so-called “Big Five” countries — which also includes the UK, Germany, Italy, and France — to announce this position. These countries automatically qualify for the contest’s final round.
Several countries have urged the EBU, an alliance of public broadcasters that organizes and co-produces the annual event, to exclude Israel from the 2025 edition. Austrian singer and this year’s Eurovision winner, JJ, has also called for Israel’s exclusion in 2026.
In a related development, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded in September that Israel committed genocide in Gaza — accusations Israel vehemently rejects.
Earlier this month, Irish broadcaster RTE stated: “It is RTE’s position that Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if the participation of Israel goes ahead. The final decision regarding Ireland’s participation will be made once the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision is made.”
RTE further explained, “RTE feels that Ireland’s participation would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza. RTE is also deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza, the denial of access to international journalists to the territory, and the plight of the remaining hostages.”
This unfolding situation continues to generate debate within the Eurovision community and among participating countries as they await the upcoming vote in November.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/entertainment/ebu-to-vote-on-israeli-participation-in-2026-eurovision-1811291.html
