RTÉ has announced that it will not be participating in or broadcasting next year’s Eurovision Song Contest following confirmation today that Israel will be taking part.
In a statement, the national broadcaster said that following today’s European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Winter General Assembly in Geneva, at which Israel’s participation in the 2026 contest was confirmed, “RTÉ’s position remains unchanged”.
“RTÉ will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, nor will RTÉ broadcast the competition.
“RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.
“RTÉ remains deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza during the conflict and the continued denial of access to international journalists to the territory,” the statement said.
Members of the EBU today voted to back changes to the Eurovision Song Contest rules “designed to reinforce trust, transparency and the neutrality of the event,” the union said.
“This vote means that all EBU Members who wish to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and agree to comply with the new rules are eligible to take part,” it said.
In a statement issued following the assembly, an EBU spokesperson said that there was additionally a “wide-ranging discussion where Members expressed a variety of views on participation in the Eurovision Song Contest”.
“Many Members also took the opportunity to stress the importance of protecting the independence of public service media and the freedom of the press to report, not least in conflict zones such as Gaza,” they said.
Following the EBU’s decision, both Spain’s and the Netherland’s public broadcasters have also stated their intention to boycott next year’s competition.
Kan, the Israeli national broadcaster, has already confirmed its participation in the 2026 song contest, which is due to take place next May in Vienna.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog posted on social media following the EBU’s meeting earlier today, saying that “Israel deserves to be represented on every stage around the world, a cause to which I am fully and actively committed”.
“I am pleased that Israel will once again participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, and I hope that the competition will remain one that champions culture, music, friendship between nations, and cross-border cultural understanding,” Mr Herzog said.