Eurovision 2026: Five countries boycott over Israel's inclusion

This week, Vienna hosts the 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, which is surrounded by controversy regarding Israel's involvement. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland have opted to boycott the event. Last year, Israel's entry garnered an unexpectedly high vote count following a multi-language advertising initiative by the Israeli government, which has faced genocide allegations from a UN commission. In light of these issues, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has revised the voting process: limiting vote capacity to 10, reinstating jury votes in semi-finals, and enforcing stricter regulations on third-party promotions. Despite the ongoing tensions, the 2025 final attracted 166 million viewers. This November, Bangkok will host the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia. Over 95,000 tickets have been sold for this year's events, with attendees from more than 70 countries, including a growing number of fans from the US. Popular entries include Finland's "Liekinheitin" by Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, as well as Greece's "Ferto" by Akylas.