Spain pulls out of Eurovision after organisers approve Israel’s return for 2026 contest
Spain has announced it will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, following the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU/UER) decision to allow Israel to compete next year. The move marks a significant break in Spain’s long-standing involvement in the show, which dates back to 1961.
The decision comes after a vote held yesterday (Thursday) during the EBU’s 95th General Assembly in Geneva, where members approved a new set of rules that effectively confirmed Israel’s place in the competition. The vote was carried by a simple majority, with 738 votes in favour, 264 against and 120 abstentions.
Spain is not alone in stepping back. Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia have also withdrawn in protest, saying they no longer have confidence in the governance of the contest. The Spanish public broadcaster RTVE stated that the outcome “confirms political pressure surrounding Eurovision” and fuels mistrust in the EBU’s management.
As a result of the withdrawal, RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final, a rare and highly symbolic move. However, the broadcaster will still take part in Junior Eurovision on Saturday 13th December.
The discussion at the Geneva meeting originally aimed to address concerns about Eurovision’s voting system, but Spain had requested a separate, secret vote specifically on Israel’s participation — a request that the EBU presidency rejected. RTVE says this refusal helped drive its decision to leave the contest, claiming transparency has been undermined.
Eurovision 2026 is set to take place next May, though now without four of its regular European participants. Critics warn that the withdrawals point to growing tensions within the EBU, while others fear this may set a precedent for future political divisions in the contest.
For now, the absence of Spain — one of Eurovision’s “Big Five” contributors — signals one of the most dramatic shake-ups in the competition’s modern history.
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