The European Broadcasting Union will soon decide on Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026

The members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will vote in November on Israel's participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. According to a statement by the EBU, this decision follows the failure to reach a consensus on the participation of the Israeli public broadcaster KAN in next year's competition.

The vote will take place in early November during an extraordinary online meeting of the EBU General Assembly and will be the first in which all EBU members will be able to decide on the participation of one of their member broadcasters.

There is controversy over whether KAN will remain in the competition after several countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, and Ireland, threatened to withdraw if Israel participates. On the other hand, countries such as France and Australia have stated that they do not plan to boycott the contest.

Israeli broadcaster KAN has expressed concern about a possible exclusion, which it considers an interference with the neutrality and cultural character of the contest, which celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2026.

KAN points out that, according to the EBU's statutes, such a decision requires at least a three-quarters majority.

The result of the vote will be known in early November and will determine the final list of participants in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.

(reuters, sie)