Eurovision Bans War-Torn Countries from Hosting
New regulations have been established by the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest, prohibiting nations engaged in armed conflicts from hosting the event. This update was revealed on Wednesday, without specifying any particular country. The change follows Israel's participation in the contest, where it finished as runner-up in both 2025 and 2026, amid its ongoing war in Gaza since 2023. Previously, the winning nation was expected to host the next edition. The new rules indicate that a winning broadcaster will be disqualified from hosting if their state or nearby region faces armed conflict or significant geopolitical issues impacting security. Furthermore, the age limit for contestants has been increased. Notably, five nations—Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland—boycotted the 2026 contest in Vienna due to Israel's involvement, citing concerns over its military actions in Gaza.
Key facts
- Eurovision organizers announced rule changes on Wednesday.
- Countries at war are barred from hosting the competition.
- No specific country was named in the announcement.
- Israel has been at war in Gaza since 2023.
- Israel finished second in Eurovision in both 2025 and 2026.
- The minimum age for competitors has been increased.
- Five countries boycotted the 2026 Eurovision in Vienna: Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland.
- The boycott was over Israel's participation due to its war in Gaza.
Entities
Artists
- Dara
- Noam Bettan
- Kalush Orchestra
Institutions
- Eurovision Song Contest
- European Broadcasting Union
- EBU
- BBC
Locations
- Israel
- Gaza
- Vienna
- Austria
- Spain
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- Slovenia
- Iceland
- Middle East
- Jerusalem
- Tel Aviv
- Ukraine
- Russia
- Kyiv
- Liverpool
- UK
- Bulgaria
- Canada