Four countries have withdrawn from the Eurovision 2026 contest after Israel was approved as a participant. The 70th edition of the contest, set for next year, will no longer include Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, or Ireland, as all countries have strongly opposed Israel's participation in what is widely regarded as the world's largest live music event.
Having launched in 1956, the competition is organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), a group of public broadcasters from 56 countries. It is one of the most anticipated global entertainment events. Given the contest's global reach and the ongoing Gaza conflict, a meeting was required to discuss Israel’s participation. On December 4, 2025, the EBU cleared Israel to participate, a decision that drew strong opposition.
Amid the escalating debate over Israel’s participation in Eurovision, many observers point out that these cultural disagreements reflect a broader strain within the country’s entertainment landscape. Israel’s regulatory environment already limits access to several forms of digital leisure, leaving audiences with fewer domestic options at a time when international participation is becoming even more contested.
For Israeli entertainment fans, these debates over international exclusions come amid already limited domestic options. Israel's strict regulations around gambling and sports betting further limit entertainment choices within the country. The impact of these restrictions is seen most clearly in the online casino space, where users often look beyond domestic offerings to access services unavailable locally. Recent Israeli casino insights highlight how offshore-licensed platforms have become a common alternative for players seeking broader game libraries, international payment methods, and features not supported within the local regulatory framework. And while these choices reflect how entertainment habits adapt to domestic limitations, the Eurovision dispute shows how deeply cultural decisions ripple into public life far beyond digital leisure.
Since the decision to keep Israel in the competition, four nations have withdrawn. Spain, one of the 'Big Five' largest financial contributors, withdrew through its broadcaster RTVE. In its statement, RTVE said it will not participate in or broadcast the event, as it cannot see it as neutral and cannot look away from the political pressures surrounding it. The sentiments were shared by the Netherlands, which, through its broadcaster AVROTROS, said “Culture unites, but not at any price.” While Slovenia has never won Eurovision, other winners of the competition, like Ireland and Sweden share seven wins, have also pulled out of the event. Ireland’s broadcaster, RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann), in an official statement, said that “Ireland's participation remains unconscionable” and that it will not participate in or broadcast the contest.
On the other side of the aisle, however, is Germany, which, through Chancellor Friedrich Merz, had threatened to withdraw in October if Israel was dismissed. He said it was a scandal that it was being discussed. He said Israel has a place in the event and that Germany’s solidarity at this time was unwavering. He cautioned against the culture of cancellation and insisted that all the nations should instead lean towards cohesion regardless of the diversity in ideas. Germany's stance carries enormous weight; as a Big Five member, its threatened withdrawal if Israel was excluded likely influenced the EBU's decision not to hold a vote on participation.
The withdrawals mark one of Eurovision's biggest boycotts in history. With the contest set for May 2026 in Vien