There has been a lot of confusion over who actually gets to decide Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026. The vote will be determined solely by the active members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). That means more than 60 broadcasters from more than 50 countries will cast the deciding votes.
Australia’s SBS participates in Eurovision. But it is only an associate member. As such, it does not get a vote.
Speaking to the BBC, the EBU clarified a few points. First, a decision will be taken by a simple majority. If more than 50% of members vote to exclude Israel, then state broadcaster Kan will not take part in 2026.
Second, EBU members who do not broadcast or participate in Eurovision will get to vote. This includes Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Jordan and Lebanon.
The EBU also confirmed “all 68 member countries would be invited to vote.” However, when we look at the list of active broadcasters on the EBU web site it becomes a little trickier to decipher that.
The list includes groupings of broadcasters by country in 68 groups. But these groups include Belarus and Russia — both of which are suspended and won’t vote. And the Danish broadcasters cut across two different groupings — as do other broadcasters within a single country.
In any event, these are the broadcasters from non-suspended countries that appear able to vote.
Full list of the EBU broadcasters voting on Israel’s Eurovision 2026 participation
More than 60 broadcasters from more than 50 countries are the active members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) who will cast the deciding votes on whether Israel can take part in Eurovision 2026.
Albania – RTSH (Radiotelevizioni Shqiptar)
Algeria – EPTV / EPRS / TDA
Andorra – RTVA
Armenia – AMPTV (Public Television & Radio)
Austria – ORF
Azerbaijan – ITV (Ictimai)
Belgium – VRT & RTBF
Bosnia & Herzegovina – BHRT
Bulgaria – BNR & BNT
Croatia – HRT
Cyprus – CYBC
Czechia – Český Rozhlas (CR) & Česká Televize (CT)
Denmark – DR & TV 2/Danmark
Egypt – National Media Authority (NMA)
Estonia – ERR
Finland – YLE
France – France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde
Georgia – GPB
Germany – ARD & ZDF
Greece – ERT
Hungary – MTVA/Duna (HMG)
Iceland – RÚV
Ireland – RTÉ & TG4
Israel – IPBC
Italy – RAI
Jordan – JRTV
Latvia – LPSM
Lebanon – Télé-Liban
Lithuania – LRT
Luxembourg – CLT Multi Media & Radio 100,7
Malta – PBS
Moldova – TRM
Monaco – Monaco Média Diffusion & TV Monaco
Morocco – SNRT
Montenegro – RTCG
Netherlands – NPO (includes AVROTROS, BNNVARA, NOS, etc.)
North Macedonia – MKRTV
Norway – NRK & TV 2
Poland – TVP & Polskie Radio
Portugal – RTP
Romania – SRR & TVR
San Marino – SMRTV
Serbia – RTS
Slovakia – STVR
Slovenia – RTVSLO
Spain – RTVE
Sweden – SVT, SR, UR
Switzerland – SRG SSR
Tunisia – RTTT (Radio & Télévision Tunisienne)
Türkiye – TRT
Ukraine – Suspilne (UA:PBC)
United Kingdom – BBC, ITV (UKIB), S4C
Vatican City – Radio Vaticana
Who’s going to vote on behalf of the Vatican: Pope Leo? XD
Madonna.
It might be in some countries’ best interest to vote against, as countries with a huge diaspora can then actually get the televote points again.
I know that Denmark, Sweden and Norway will not vote against Israel. I am pretty sure, that Israel will in the contest. Personally, I hope so.
What if peace breaks out, as we all hope it will. Will that change anyone’s mind?
reparations! until gaza is returned back to full palestinian control and everything is rebuilt I don’t think it would change my stance, if all that were to happen and the two state solution is accepted by Israel then I can see them participate again
You think there will ever be peace? Maybe a ceasefire but that’s all
I am very curious how the votes of broadcasters reflect Israel having received 12 points in televoting in most of those countries… very Interesting
Well, hello there Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Jordan and Lebanon.!
As far as I know they won’t have a vote. It will only be active ESC participants who will vote. So basically the broadcasters that took part in the last 3 years (minus Australia and Israel)
Oh, I thought it said all active members, and not necessarily those who participate in the contest. Hmm…maybe I oughta reread it.
It’s funny how the EBU is washing its hands and putting responsibility on broadcasters, while it was the EBU that created all this mess from 2024 and on.
The EBU couldn’t have blocked Israel from participating in 2024 because the war broke out in October 2023 when all countries already met the participation deadline and back then nobody knew how Israel was going to respond to the genocide that took place in Southern Israel which left 1200 civilians dead and 251 locals and foreigners kidnapped. In 2025 the EBU in retrospect should have suspended Israel because of the war crimes, displacement and mass killings of civilians which amount to a genocide like it’s attempting to do now.
They could and perhaps should have disqualified Israel from ESC 2024 because of the improper conduct of some members of their delegation towards other participating countries.
How? It happened at ESC 2024…the conduct of some members of the Israeli delegation wasn’t an irreconciliable offense that required a disqualification. Perhaps a reprimand. Even if the EBU considered suspending Israel in 2025, it would have a hard time doing so since the vast majority of Western European governments’ official stance was still supportive of Israel’s campaign back in October 2024 when the participation deadline closed even if behind close doors there was already harsh criticism. I’m not talking about the protests in the streets and the calls for a boycott within the Fandom.
What I’m saying is that they should have disqualified Israel because of the unacceptable behavior of prominent members of the delegation during the 2024 event itself. The EBU claimed a zero-tolerance policy, as evidenced by the Netherlands’ disqualification, but apparently different rules apply to Israel.
They created what ? Omg get a book and check your data. Stop getting informed through Instagram
I expect a lot of “blanc” votes where broadcasters dont take a stance (like the nordics it seems). What happens then? Does 50% of the broadcasters need to be pro/against or 50% of the ones that vote?
Also as a side note, I don’t even know how they still think of participating in these conditions. Imagine crashing a party where your mere presence causes ruckus, because everyone thinks your behavior is not acceptable. So the host is like “Ok everyone, let’s vote to decide if they can stay”. I don’t know about you, but I would take whatever dignity I have left and see myself out, before the embarrassment of the vote merely taking place (regardless of the outcome). Like, even if a majority of countries votes to let them stay, now you’re participating knowing exactly dozens… Read more »
“A party where your mere presence causes a ruckus”
except… that we keep getting really high scores?
nobody in their right mind vote for you except yourselves. realize it already OPEN YOUR EYES
I think this is one more instance where the EBU has decided to make things as messy as possible. Every broadcaster will be forced to take a stand (safe to say we’ll know how each broadcaster voted, officially or through leaks). That will create conflict both internally (citizens will hold their broadcaster accountable for voting yes or no) and externally (some countries will face backlash for voting a certain way). Don’t even get me started on how that will be instrumentalized by politicians on both sides… Whatever happens, this is another dent in the contest.
Israel doesn’t and won’t have a majority by any stretch of the imagination with the Arab countries or without. The fact that the EBU is allowing all members to vote regardless of whether they participate or broadcast the contest is a statement in itself. If I were you I wouldn’t bite my nails at all over this and just start looking forward to the song selections and the rumor mills…
I don’t think it’s a statement in itself, it seems perfectly reasonable to allow all members to vote. Of course this won’t suit Israel, but if they are full fee-paying members then how can we stop them. Perhaps some even have been boycotting the contest for decades because of Israel, who knows.
Arab countries don’t join because Eurovision is a culturally ‘gay’ event and homosexuality is officially suppressed and criminalized in some Arab countries, no matter how technologically or oil rich they are. Israel was absent from the contest a few times in the 80’s and 90’s and no Arab country rushed in to enter. Morocco withdrew for good after 1980 because it considered it’s low result a national humiliation. Monarchies and countries with archaic laws and social taboos can’t and won’t take part in a ‘decadent’ show even if some portion of their population would like to take part.
I did some tallying based off of the presumed stances, and since dissents won’t count towards the final vote, the vote is going to most definitely pass. Unless something weird happens, but we’ll see when we get more details
What if the war is over by then?
It’s not a war, and the victims will still be dead, so, y’know. Perhaps if Bibi is in his rightful dock in the Hague.
There is no war going on. A war is between 2 armies, this is just one army massacring civilians.
Per definition a war is a conflict that exceeds 999 deaths per year and where at least one of the parties is a nation. This is a war. You can ask the UN how you further could describe it. But it sure does count as a war on the criteria
Really shows that KAN’s claim that you need “75%” for the vote to count really was a load of crap.
If Israel get a majority, the countries threatening to withdraw need to do it, otherwise this is nothing more than empty threats.
I have no doubt they will indeed do that, so accusations of empty threats are far too early,
I hope they stick to their word. The EBU need a kick up the backside on this. However, what people say and do are often two very different things.
At this time, a generous list of those who’ll vote to exclude Israel is:
Algeria, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey.
Not nearly enough…
If the vote is secret, I think some of the officially neutral countries will also vote exclude. They may intend to participate if Israel is there, but that is a different thing from wanting them there.
Ugh they’re gunna vote remain aren’t they?
RIP Eurovision. Dead at 70. No age to die
Don’t give up hope! I’m still quietly optimistic.
Wow, that’s more people than I thought there would be
let Israel participate, but most countries just need to withdraw, let this contest flop hard
I don’t think boycotts work. Look at the 1984 Olympics, the most successful ever but without many huge sporting powers.
Okay, some of the Arab countries do have relations with Israel , especially governments who fight inner regims jointly with Israel and mediate in the conflict. And, more countries from east Europe which support inclusion. But however the vote goes, at least it will be an organized general desicion. Not decided solely on few countries which their politicians try to pressure broadcasters and waving money to blackmail by withdrawal threats, for excluding another broadcaster. It does open a can of worms of future exclusions of other btoadcasters based on selective governments conflict judgemrnts, but whatever will be will be.