Spain, Ireland and Others Boycott Eurovision Over Israel’s Participation

Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia withdrew from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday after organizers declined to hold a vote on Israel's participation, marking the largest boycott in the competition's 70-year history.

The European Broadcasting Union's General Assembly in Geneva voted 738 to 264, with 120 abstentions, to adopt new voting regulations without holding a separate ballot on whether Israel should be barred from next year's contest. The decision prompted immediate withdrawals from four countries that had threatened to boycott if Israel remained in the competition.