Eurovision members to vote in November on ‘Israeli’ participation

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has confirmed it will hold an extraordinary General Assembly in November, where its member broadcasters will vote on whether to allow ‘Israeli’ public broadcaster KAN to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.

The move comes amid deepening divisions and a growing threat of boycotts from several European nations over ‘Israel’s’ continued aggression on Gaza.

"A vote on participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place at an extraordinary meeting of the EBU's General Assembly to be held online in early November," the EBU told Reuters in a statement, without expressly naming ‘Israel.’

Read more: ‘Israeli’ army will force Gazans to hear Netanyahu’s UN speech

Countries including Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia have publicly threatened to withdraw from the competition, slated for Vienna next May, if ‘Israel’ is not excluded.

‘Israel’ has been a competitor since 1973 and finished in second place at the 2025 contest in Basel 

The EBU clarified that only a simple majority of the roughly 68 voting members is required to bar ‘Israel’ from the 2026 competition.

However, KAN had initially argued that EBU statutes require a 75 per cent supermajority for such an "extraordinary decision."

In a statement, KAN expressed its "firm hope that the Eurovision Song Contest will continue to uphold its cultural and non-political identity.” 

The outcome of the November vote will directly determine the line-up for the 2026 contest, marking a critical moment for the cultural event that has previously excluded members, notably the ban on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.