AVROTROS, the Dutch national broadcaster, has released a statement regarding its participation at the forthcoming 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna next year.
AVROTROS has announced today that the Netherlands will not participate at Eurovision 2026 if Israel is admitted in the competition, and will be more than happy to partake in the contest if and when the EBU decides not to admit Israel.
AVROTROS’ press release reads:
AVROTROS LINKS EUROVISION 2026 PARTICIPATION TO CORE VALUES
Human suffering, the suppression of press freedom and political interference are at odds with the values of public broadcasting.
In recent months, AVROTROS has engaged in regular consultations with the EBU and other European public broadcasters regarding the future and nature of the Eurovision Song Contest. These discussions have also given extensive consideration to whether Israel can be represented under the current circumstances.
The Eurovision Song Contest was founded in 1956 to bring people together after a period of deep division and war. Since its inception seventy years ago, music has been at the heart of the Contest as a unifying force, with peace, equality, and respect as its core values.
AVROTROS’ press release continues to read:
AVROTROS can no longer justify Israel’s participation in the current situation, given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza. The broadcaster also expresses deep concern about the serious erosion of press freedom: the deliberate exclusion of independent international reporting and the many casualties among journalists. In addition, there is proven evidence of interference by the Israeli government during the most recent edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, in which the event was used as a political instrument. This runs counter to the apolitical nature of the Contest. These circumstances are incompatible with the values represented by AVROTROS as a public broadcaster.
AVROTRO’s statement concludes:
The broadcaster has therefore decided that participation by AVROTROS in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will not be possible as long as Israel is admitted by the EBU. Should the EBU decide not to admit Israel, AVROTROS will gladly take part next year. Pending that decision, all preparations will for the time being continue as planned.
Apart from the Netherlands several European broadcasters have raised concerns about the current global geopolitical scenario and Israel’s participation at the Eurovision Song Contest, including Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and Spain.
Hence the participation of the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Ireland is currently uncertain due to the given circumstances and their respective national broadcasters will make a final decision on their potential participation once the EBU’s makes a decision after the ongoing consultation.
The EBU has given broadcasters an extension until mid December to make their final decision on competing at ESC 2026 or withdraw their application without suffering a financial penalty. The initial date was set on 13 October 2025.
The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 12, 14 and 16 May at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria.
The Netherlands is one of the founder members of the Eurovision Song Contest and has won the contest 5 times.
