Iceland is the fifth country to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and The Netherlands. The decision follows a meeting of the Board of Directors of Icelandic broadcaster RÚV on the afternoon of December 10 — the deadline set by the EBU to avoid penalties for late withdrawal. You can read the full press release below.
Iceland withdraws from Eurovision 2026 (STATEMENT FROM RÚV)
The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV) has decided not to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, next year.
Participation of the Israeli national broadcaster, KAN, in the contest has created disunity among both members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the general public. KAN’s participation was discussed during EBU’s meetings earlier this year, in London last summer and Geneva last week. At the Geneva meeting, a vast majority of EBU members agreed that various adjustments to rules and production of the contest were sufficient and no further voting needed on KAN’s participation in the contest.
At the meeting, RÚV emphasized that although the adjustments addressed many of the concerns RÚV had raised at various stages of the EBU cooperation in recent years, RÚV believes that there are still doubts whether the agreed adjustments would be fully satisfactory. RÚV has repeadly raised concerns that various Icelandic stakeholders, such as artist associations and the general public, were opposed to participation in the contest. Furthermore, RÚV had requested the EBU to exclude KAN from the contest in accordance to precedents. It is a complex matter which has already damaged the contest’s reputation and EBU, emphasizing the necessity of a solution for all concerned parties.
According to public discourse in Iceland and the response to EBU’s decision last week, RÚV’s participation will neither be a source of joy nor peace. Therefore, RÚV has come to the conclusion to inform EBU today that RÚV will not participate in the Eurovision contest next year.
Söngvakeppni – Iceland’s pre-selection for Eurovision – and Eurovision has always aimed to unite the nation. However, it is clear that objective will not be achieved this year and this decision is based on that fact.
At this time, no decision has been made regarding Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins for next year. Currently, available options are being assessed and decision announced soon.
Do you think more countries will withdraw from the contest? Do you think that Iceland should still stage a national contest to celebrate its best song of the year? Let us know in the comments down below.
Good! More countries should have spoken up. For the EBU, silence = complacency, so yeah.
(And for once Iceland actually follows up on their word instead of saying a lot but doing nothing like in the past 2 years)
Let’s be honest, these countries were rare qualifiers (Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia)… Let’s not mention about Spain and their songs being on the bottom of the final each year…
won’t miss them at all
What will the Icelandic gonna do m, I thought they live Eurovision.
Hatrið mun sigra!
The 70th year of esc which should be a party, yet this brings the total so far to 5 non returning countries. A dark cloud is hanging over eurovision 2026
A poll shows that the British public is in favor of boycotting the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participates. A Portuguese preliminary contestant would withdraw from the competition if Israel were to participate, even if they were selected as the representative. The winner of San Remo would also not exercise their right to compete in a contest with Israel. The contest would then be broadcast on German national television, with only Germany and Israel involved.
I don’t judge any broadcaster for doing what they think it right. Be it stay or go. The ones staying don’t necessarily feel any less empathy for the people of Palestine, perhaps they just don’t believe that the participation in the contest is detrimental to their welfare. I don’t know. I just don’t know.
Whatever their entries are, cringe especially those VAEB brothers from this year contest. Hopefully, the EBU is going to start thinking about reforming the semis now that countries are starting to pull out. Having 13 countries and 10 qualifiers in a semi-final would be a joke.
I welcome and fully support Iceland’s decision.
Unfortunately we are even nearly there. 35 competing countries in this whitewashing contest are too many. The general public’s apathy or even worse lack of humanity is deafening. More countries need to withdraw for real pressure to begin to mount for the EBU and force their hand to disqualify Israel.
Hate will not win. The losers are out.
Iceland has been one of my all time favourite Eurovision countries, and is the home of my favourite Eurovision song, “Minn Hinsti Dans” by Påll Oskar.
And this bold statemenr that they have just made by withdrawing has honestly taken my love for Iceland up several notches.
A small country with a bigger backbone than the EBU.
And big love to the other four countries that have also made a stand.
Iceland made a good, but hard decision. I just listened to “Eitt lag enn” to honour Iceland in the Eurovision Contest. Hopefully the ESC will be given back to us who are really loving it and who are sad because of the stupid decisions made by the EBU. I have to listen to Europapa as well.
This is probably the best statement we had. This contest will definitely be a poor one. What a sad 70th one…
People need to chill out with speculation that this is the beginning of withdrawals. It’s likely the end, unless there are further controversies with EBU/KAN.
The deadline to withdraw was today, countries face fines for withdrawing after today, that’s not a decision they’ll take lightly if they’ve already agreed to participate.
Didn’t Ukraine withdraw in 2019 after the deadline because of controversy at their national contest? Were there any other late withdrawals in the past, and were they fined?
It is quite probable that, if anyone is going to change their minds this winter, they would have little trouble doing so, fine or no fine. Under present circumstances, it could happen.
The irony of all this is now all the so call Eurovision fans are now sounding like people who really hates the contest and looking forward to its demise.
Time to look for a new bubble once all this is done and dusted.
We used to talk about the Big Five in Eurovision.
Now we have the Brave Five.
Great statement. R.E.S.P.E.C.T.!
It’s clear the EBU loves one country more than five others.
No. The EBU are just sticking to their own rules of not banning a broadcaster for the government actions and not breaking EBU rules. The difference with Russian broadcaster is that they did break EBU rules.
Most of the Portuguese artists running at the national selection already announced they wont be representing the country at the Eurovision. So Portugal will be out too
Portugal will send another artist because the Portuguese government and broadcaster are not blinded by hate against Israel as their neighbour Sanchez in Spain
“Most”. Not all. So they’ll just go down the list until one of the artists who will go.
Rtp have confirmed they will still participate regardless
Well done. Hope private broadcasters set up now their own version of ESC and burry this one to the ground. Been a fan for decades… the way EBU has been acting is disgusting.
What if they invite Israel too?
People laughed when Russia did it and comments of “it must be rubbish” when it was actually quite good. This probably won’t be much different. Where it will be good, but not a lot will actually watch. But those saying “respect” will still watch Eurovision.
Come on, others. Do the right thing. It is never too late.
The fact that one country has clearly turned a peace contest into a piss contest justifies just in itself the fact of refusing to go. I’m so disappointed at @francetelevision for not withdrawing when clearly it’ s not a song contest anymore and it has reached even the point of security threats and corruption and propaganda and hypocrisy. I will either boycott or at least not spend a dime voting and disconnect my WiFi during a certain 3 min of propaganda.
For those of you calling for boycott, will you follow your own conscience and boycott yourself? Which would mean you do not follow the contest at all this year or comment on it in forums such as this? Let’s see if you follow your own advice.
You can be sure that for the first time in 35 years I will not watch any of the shows and not comment in any forum. I will watch a film those evenings.
Wonderful decision. Let’s also not forget that the boycott is happening all across Europe: even among the participating countries, artists are mobilizing and calling out this farce. I expect many countries will struggle to find a decent act, and regret their decision as tensions keep rising. Once again, under the excuse of “no politics” the EBU is creating the most political situation ever.
I highly respect the opinion of Noa (Israel 2009) who said that while she doesn’t support cutural boycotts, she still thinks Israel should have withdrawn on their own.
EBU aren’t making it political. It’s the so called fans and broadcasters making it political. There would also be backlash if they banned KAN and that would be seen as political. So they can’t be making it political if they’re seen that way no matter what they do.
Think Finland and Portugal will be countries that will struggle with artist boycotts the most
Great news! Thank you, Iceland.
And today eleven acts in the Portuguese national selection confirmed that they will not compete in Eurovision should they win Festival da Canção 2026!
More please 🙂
So you’re boycotting the whole contest then?
So 1 Asian country has made 5 actual European countries withdraw from “Eurovision” Song Contest
As soon as someone talks about how Europeans are more important than countries outside of Europe, and that only Europeans should be in it. I know they’re a racist.
And if Israel is “Asian” then you admit that the Jews are native to Israel and it’s their land.
They’re either European invaders or they’re middle eastern natives. You can’t have it both ways.
Portuguese artists of FDC signed a manifesto boycotting participation in ESC 2026.They will refuse to participate if they win.Im sure this will happen in a lot more national finals.Like a said this is not the end of the story and some broadcasters will be pushed to the limit and they will to reconsiderate their participation.
Waiting for the very predictable Zio comments now featuring hits such as:
“One less toilet break country”
“The most antisemitic country in the North Atlantic”
“They never send good songs anyway”
And bonus points
“They made Eurovision political, they’re crybabies”
Yawn
The predictable hits from anti-Israel
“What about Russia”
“Why are Israel in it. They’re not in Europe”
“EBU love one country more than five European counties”
“They policitisised the contest”
“They cheated and rigged the televote”
“I’ll boycott for three minutes”
“Eurovision is dead”
“Playing the victim”
“Playing the race card again ?”
You will be missed but this is necessary to preserve human rights. This is my first year following the contest and I’m devastated that the EBU only cares about the amount of money in their wallets and not the suffering in Palestine.
Welcome to the right side of the room Iceland, take your place next to your brethren who show true European values.
Iceland, Spain, Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia are real ones.
Showing me that there is still some true humans left in all of this.
Now let us watch Eurovision implode next year as a result of its greed and spineless attitude. And they only have themselves to blame.
Kudos once again, my great neighbour in the north.
And another country who haven’t featured in the top 10 consistently or the semi’s for that matter drops out… ?
Unbelievable to choose one country over 5, unbelievable EBU you have no backbone!
The result was 75-25 in Israels favour
Downvoted for facts.
Thank you Iceland for standing up to what you believe and making this right decision to withdraw.
Guess there will be lots of tickets available to fans this year as they won’t be snatched up by anyone judging by the comments on here!
What a beautiful statement, Portugal next , then Poland – Belgium, and artist will sabotage it .. Eurovision 2026 will be cancelled
It seams like Portugal is next as in 3 days there was signed petition more then 20k what is now passed to parliament –
MASSIVE protests in Australia too at the Melbourne SBS Studios.
Well… Untill it’s a song contest again it CLEARLY SHOULD BE ?
Why do you want it yo be cancelled? I’m so confused.
At least one brave Nordic country
byeeeee, you won’t be missed
Cryeeeeee, you’re so butthurt lol
You will definitely not be missed too.
Each semi will now have 14 countries only. This is the lowest amount ever.
Armenia is in so 14 and 15 still mess tbh
Do you really think that there will be two semi -finals? To eliminate one song on each?
How does that math work? 34 countries. 5 countries already in the final including last years winner. That’s 14,5 countries per semi final. 14 in one, 15 in one
15 if I’m not wrong.
I think you mean “the seminfinal”.
Does that mean more time for cringy interval acts? I hope not.
That was to be expected. However, with the exception of The Netherlands, the other 4 broadcasters will also not show the contest on any of their platforms because showing Israel or the Israeli flag is like an ‘abomination’. This usually characterizes autocratic and fascist regimes where there is zero tolerance for opposing opinions and you must support the absolute majority or the ruling party’s views on social, political and cultural issues – or else. Every broadcaster has a right to withdraw, but it is clear that these particular broadcasters provide a governmental narrative that informs political positions which inform fan… Read more »
No, Jimini. What the hell are you even talking about.
Why on earth do you only apply the “governmental narrative” to the dissenters?
Deep respect for Iceland too… I really hope more doubting countries will follow soon..
I think everyone else are confirmed now no?
Correct decision Iceland! It’s good to see another country getting its priorities right, shame on those who think a song contest is more important that human lives. Empty platitudes about music bringing people together are worth nothing when over 2 million people are living with the dire consequences of Israel’s actions, living in makeshift tents dealing with floods in the last few days but isn’t a song contest going to make everything better. Shameful!
What a mess! It doesn’t matter whether you are pro/anti Israel, the fact remains that if the participation of one country causes five other countries to walk away, then you have a BIG problem.
The EBU are very good at putting their head in the sand; look at the political/block voting that has happened over the last FORTY years where the EBU did nothing or were very slow to do something.
This problem is not going away and what happens next year?
And now a new big five has been formed. Spain still among them. Well done
The best big 5.
“The Brave Five”
Is this the same Iceland that completely ripped off an Israeli song to compete with last year? Irony…
It’s difficult to rip off a song no one ever heard of out side of Tel Aviv. Besides the Icelandic song was inspired by an old Icelandic folk song that’s way older than the Israeli song but contrary to you I don’t think an Israeli music group ripped of an old Icelandic song I bet they never heard of it.
Imagine that, a public service broadcaster actually listening to the public!
Time for other countries to find some courage!
In the meantime, let’s show support for the countries who were willing to say ‘No’ to genocide and cheating by creating playlists of Eurovision artists from those countries and giving them plenty of plays.
Thank you, Iceland. I only wish there were more to come. RIP Eurovision.
Yas!
My favorite national final (even though it’s insanely long, hard to follow for a ‘foreigner’, and full of ad breaks) is (or maybe was) Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins. The families with young kids and toddlers in the audience and general small-town cheer and excitement always resonated. It reminds me of when ESC was a bit less bling and had more ‘hometown’ vibes. It’s what ESC is about.
Glad you’re sitting 2026 out and deciding on International Human Rights Day. I’ll tune in to you guys if Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins goes ahead. I hope it will. Much love and respect Iceland.
I’d say they’ll still do Söngvakeppni just no Eurovision ticket for the winner.
But that show is pretty popular in Iceland regardless so it could still happen
Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland, my Eurovision big 5. Beyond proud of you! <3
Lol