Ireland confirms Eurovision 2027 non-participation

RTÉ confirmed in December that Ireland would not take part in Eurovision 2027 if Israel was allowed to compete, putting Ireland among the first broadcasters to make its position explicit ahead of next year’s contest. RTÉ said on December 5, 2025 that it would not broadcast “next year’s competition” if Israel competed, a step that also prevents Ireland from entering under Eurovision rules. (eurovisionworld.com) The decision sits inside a wider dispute that intensified around Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, where protests and boycott calls again centered on Israel’s participation. (eurovoix.com) RTÉ’s own coverage before this year’s contest said Ireland was absent from the 70th edition in Vienna and linked that absence to the boycott row. ### When did Ireland actually confirm it was out? RTÉ reported on December 5, 2025 that “Ireland will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest” after the European Broadcasting Union confirmed that Israel would be allowed to take part. (rte.ie) RTÉ said it also would not broadcast the contest. A follow-up RTÉ report on December 6, 2025 said several European broadcasters were expected to decide “over the coming days” whether they would take part, and repeated that RTÉ would not broadcast the competition if Israel competed. (rte.ie) Under Eurovision rules, not broadcasting the show means no Irish entry. ### What is the dispute centered on? Israel’s participation has been the central fault line in the current Eurovision standoff. RTÉ said its withdrawal was triggered after the EBU confirmed Israel would be allowed to take part, and earlier reporting cited RTÉ’s position that Irish participation would be unacceptable given the war in Gaza. (rte.ie) Eurovoix reported on May 17, 2026 that Dutch broadcasters NPO and AVROTROS were waiting for an EBU evaluation before deciding whether to compete in Eurovision 2027. (rte.ie) That report said the Dutch decision had not yet been made. ### What happened at Eurovision 2026 itself? Eurovisionworld’s results page says Bulgaria won Eurovision 2026 in Vienna on May 16 with DARA’s song “Bangaranga,” scoring 516 points. The contest was held at Wiener Stadthalle and organized by Austrian broadcaster ORF, according to the same results page. (rte.ie) RTÉ reported on May 12, 2026, before the live shows began, that Ireland would not be represented on the Vienna stage. That made the 2026 contest both an anniversary edition and a visible test of how far the participation dispute had spread. (eurovoix.com) ### Which other broadcasters are signaling uncertainty? Belgium’s Flemish broadcaster VRT said it was unlikely to compete in Eurovision 2027 if the EBU held a direct vote allowing Israel’s participation, according to Eurovoix on May 17. That added Belgium to the list of broadcasters publicly linking their 2027 plans to the EBU’s handling of Israel. (eurovisionworld.com) The Netherlands remained in a holding pattern as of May 17. Eurovoix said NPO and AVROTROS were waiting for an EBU report before making a final decision on 2027 participation. (rte.ie) ### What comes next before Eurovision 2027 is set? Bulgaria, as the 2026 winner, is the country expected to host Eurovision 2027, and potential host-city planning has already started. Eurovoix reported that Sofia and Plovdiv intended to bid to stage the contest. (eurovoix.com) The next concrete milestone is the EBU’s evaluation and the broadcaster-by-broadcaster decisions that follow it. NPO and AVROTROS have tied their 2027 decision to that process, while RTÉ has already stated it will not take part if Israel remains in the lineup. (eurovoix.com 1) (eurovoix.com 2)