The Eurovision Song Contest has unveiled its final list of 35 participating nations for the 2026 event, a roster significantly impacted by the withdrawal of five countries in protest over Israel’s continued involvement.
The glitzy pop-music gala, set to be held in Vienna, will proceed without Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain, all of whom announced their boycott plans earlier this month.
This year’s contest saw 37 countries participate, with Austria emerging victorious. For 2026, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania are set to return after skipping recent events due to artistic or financial considerations.
The absence of some of the contest’s most stalwart and high-profile participants, including Ireland, which shares the record for most wins with Sweden, has brought political discord to the forefront, overshadowing the event’s typically joyful atmosphere.
Further escalating tensions, Nemo, the non-binary Swiss singer who won the 2024 contest with “The Code”, announced plans last week to return their winner’s trophy in protest of Israel’s participation.
In a statement posted on Instagram, they wrote: “Even though I’m immensely grateful for the community around this contest and everything this experience has taught me both as a person and artist, today I no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf.”
Organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), decided this month to allow Israel to compete despite widespread protests concerning its conduct in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and allegations of vote manipulation.
The EBU, which oversees the annual spectacle, attempted to allay concerns about vote-rigging, but the reforms introduced were insufficient to satisfy the boycotting nations.
Drawing over 100 million viewers annually, the Eurovision Song Contest is one of the world’s most-watched programmes. However, it has been embroiled in controversy surrounding the war in Gaza for the past two years, leading to protests outside venues and strict measures against political flag-waving.
Experts suggest this boycott, ahead of the event’s 70th anniversary, represents one of the biggest crises the contest has ever faced, particularly as public broadcasters grapple with funding pressures and competition from social media.
Israeli officials have welcomed the EBU’s decision, which was supported by most member broadcasters, asserting Israel’s right to participate and warning against the threat to freedom of expression by involving musicians in political disputes.
