Eurovision 2026: Germany May Withdraw if Israel Is Excluded

The upcoming vote on Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026 could trigger a series of reactions threatening the integrity of the contest.

According to industry sources speaking to Reuters, if a decision is made to exclude Israel, Germany is expected to withdraw and may not broadcast the competition.

At the same time, Spain remains firm on participating and has warned it could leave if Israel competes. RTVE President José Pablo López defended this position in a parliamentary hearing, stating that the decision had been approved by the board in September, before the Gaza ceasefire.

The debate arises as members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) prepare new rules to prevent the unfair promotion of songs by governments or external parties. The EBU has noted that if these measures are insufficient, a participation vote will take place—without explicitly naming Israel.

Public broadcasters from Slovenia, Ireland, and the Netherlands have also threatened boycotts if Israel participates, citing concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where reported deaths have exceeded 70,000 according to local authorities.

Attempts to Keep Eurovision Non-Political

The Eurovision Song Contest, watched by around 150 million viewers globally, aims to remain non-political. However, the Gaza crisis has injected politics into the competition. The potential withdrawal of Germany or Spain could significantly impact both viewership and sponsorship revenue.

Critics this year accused Israel of unfairly boosting the second-place standing of Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Hamas attack on October 7 that sparked the conflict. Israel has not responded to the allegations but claims it is facing an international smear campaign.

The EBU stated:

“We hope that the measures package will reassure members that strong steps have been taken to protect the neutrality and objectivity of the Song Contest.”

Eurovision expert Paul Jordan called the situation a “critical moment” for the contest, while Ben Robertson of fan site ESC Insight warned that without Israel, Eurovision risks further isolation.

Sources from Israeli broadcaster KAN insisted that talks of exclusion are unjustified, emphasizing that the broadcaster fully complies with EBU rules and continues to support Israeli acts that have delivered memorable performances.

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