The Eurovision Song Contest faces one of the most significant waves of withdrawals in its history, as the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia and Ireland have each confirmed they will not take part in Eurovision 2026. Their decisions followed the EBU General Assembly in Geneva.
What Triggered the Withdrawals
General Assembly Decisions
During the meeting, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed that Israel remains eligible to participate in Eurovision 2026 and introduced several updates to strengthen voting procedures and contest governance. After reviewing these decisions, the four broadcasters stated that they will not be sending an entry to next year’s competition.
Netherlands: AVROTROS Steps Back for 2026
Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced that the Netherlands will not participate in Eurovision 2026.
In its statement, the broadcaster explained that, after evaluating the outcomes of the General Assembly, it does not see conditions that align with its current approach to participating in the contest.
Spain: RTVE Will Not Compete
RTVE confirmed that Spain will also not take part in 2026.
The broadcaster referred to its previously communicated position and stated that its decision remained unchanged after the meeting in Geneva.
Ireland: RTÉ Confirms Non-Participation and Non-Broadcast
Irish broadcaster RTÉ issued an official update stating that Ireland will not participate in the 2026 contest and will also not broadcast the event.
RTÉ noted that its position had already been defined earlier in the season and that the outcome of the Assembly did not affect its earlier assessment.
Slovenia: RTV Slovenija Not Compete in 2026
RTV Slovenija confirmed that Slovenia will not compete in Eurovision 2026.
The broadcaster had outlined conditional participation earlier in the year and stated that, following the decisions made at the General Assembly, it will not be joining the line-up.
A Year of Adjustments for Eurovision
The decisions from these four broadcasters come at a moment when several member organisations have been reviewing their approach to Eurovision participation, programming priorities, budget planning, and alignment with the updated contest rules.
Other broadcasters have expressed support for the EBU’s decisions and are preparing for the 2026 season as usual. The final list of participating countries will be confirmed later by the EBU once all members submit their official applications.
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