The Icelandic broadcaster RÚV announced on Wednesday that it will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, following the decision of the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) last week, which approved Israel’s continued participation in the competition. Iceland thus joins Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia in boycotting the event.
The public broadcaster justified its decision “in light of the public debate in the country and reactions to the EBU’s decision,” which allowed Israel’s participation in the event.
“It is clear that neither joy nor peace will prevail regarding RÚV’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Consequently, RÚV has decided to notify the EBU today that it will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest,” the statement reads.
Iceland had previously expressed its intention to boycott the festival, joining Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia.
On the 4th of this month, RTP – Rádio e Televisão de Portugal confirmed its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, following changes in the voting rules of the competition, decided at an EBU general assembly.
The new rules were approved by the majority of EBU member countries, and it was also decided that Israel will be able to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, if it chooses to do so.
According to the EBU, the complete list of participants in the Eurovision Song Contest will be announced “before Christmas.”
The boycotts by some participating countries are due to Israel’s military attacks on the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip over the past two years, which have killed at least 67,000 people and have been classified as genocide by an independent international commission of investigation by the United Nations.
The Eurovision Song Contest is organized by the EBU in cooperation with public television operators from over 35 countries, including RTP.
The competition has been held annually since 1956, and there have been exclusions of countries in the past, such as Belarus in 2021 after the re-election of President Aleksandr Lukashenko, and Russia in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.
Israel was the first non-European country to participate, starting in 1973, and has won four times.
In Portugal, the Festival da Canção, organized by RTP, will take place in February and March 2026, as usual, with two semifinals (on February 21 and 28) and a final (on March 7).
A group of more than a dozen artists, including Cristina Branco, Bateu Matou, Rita Dias, and Djodje, announced today their refusal to represent Portugal in Eurovision if they win RTP’s Festival da Canção, in protest against Israel’s participation.
Seventeen musicians and performers, including Cristina Branco and Bateu Matou, announced today their refusal to represent Portugal in the Eurovision 2026 if they win RTP’s Festival da Canção, in protest against Israel’s participation.
Lusa | 16:16 – 10/12/2025
