The public broadcasters of three European countries, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia, announced on Monday that they would boycott the 70th Eurovision Song Contest by not broadcasting it.
The song contest has been at the center of controversy and several countries have called on Eurovision organizers to exclude Israel following the Gaza War.
Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands announced last year that they were going to boycott the 2026 song contest over Israel’s participation.
Iceland and the Netherlands will televise the competition, which runs between Tuesday and Saturday, even though they are not participating.
Irish TV to broadcast Father Ted instead of Eurovision
Slovenian broadcaster RTV said, “Instead of the Eurovision circus, the national television program will be colored by the thematic program series ‘Voice of Palestine’.”
Ireland’s RTÉ will stream a Eurovision-themed episode of the popular 1990s Irish-produced sitcom “Father Ted” during Saturday’s final.
Spain, one of the contest’s largest financial donors, will run its own music special, “The House of Music”.
Why is Israel’s participation in Eurovision controversial?
In 2022, Russia was banned from the competition for invading Ukraine. That year, Ukraine’s entry received mixed reviews but won.
In 2025, Israel finished second, but this was followed by allegations that the Israeli government had manipulated the popular vote, particularly due to the fact that Israel won the popular vote in countries with high pro-Palestinian sentiments.
Contest organizers downplayed the allegations and withdrew a proposed vote on allowing Israeli participation amid pressure from Israeli allies in Europe.
Organizers have also reduced the number of votes a person can cast from 20 to 10.
The winner of the song contest is chosen by a combination of a panel of music professionals and a popular vote.
What is Eurovision?
This song contest is organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) every year in May. Each member of the EBU sends one concert to represent the country.
The EBU was born in post-war Europe in 1957. This has evolved over the years, with Israel joining the Association of Public Broadcasters in 1973 and Australia in 2015.
Despite its controversies, the contest remains highly popular, attracting approximately 160 million viewers on television.
Eurovision is particularly famous for its over-the-top performances, with smoke machines and flashy costumes giving it a cultural edge loved by many.
Edited by: Alex Berry