Iceland has announced its decision not to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, as stated by RUV, the country’s public broadcaster. This announcement came after the European Broadcasting Union approved Israel’s involvement in the competition. The approval of Israel’s participation has led to Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia withdrawing from the event in protest, citing concerns over Israel’s actions in the conflict with Hamas in Gaza. On the other hand, Germany and Austria, the hosting nation, have expressed their support for Israel’s participation.
In a statement, Stefan Eiriksson, the director general of RUV, mentioned that the decision not to participate was influenced by the lack of enthusiasm and peace surrounding the country’s involvement, based on the ongoing public debate and reactions following the EBU’s decision.
Iceland was one of the nations that sought a vote regarding Israel’s participation in the contest, but the EBU chose not to hold a vote on the matter. Instead, they implemented new regulations to prevent governments from influencing the competition, following accusations of Israel manipulating the voting process in favor of its contestant.
Although Iceland has never clinched victory in the Eurovision Song Contest, the country achieved second place in 1999 and 2009. The longstanding competition, which dates back to 1956, attracts approximately 160 million viewers worldwide, according to the EBU.