Ireland skips Eurovision 2027

Ireland has confirmed it will not take part in Eurovision 2027, according to a report published Friday by Romanian outlet Informat, which said the decision followed controversy around Israel’s participation and protests at the 2026 contest in Vienna. Informat said RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst told the outlet there were “no reasons to change the decision,” citing the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The report also said the Netherlands had not yet confirmed whether it would compete and was waiting for an official assessment from the European Broadcasting Union, or EBU. Bulgaria is due to stage the 2027 contest after DARA won the 2026 final in Vienna with “Bangaranga” on 516 points. ### How firm is Ireland’s decision? Informat reported on May 22 that Ireland was the first country to say it would not participate in Eurovision 2027. The outlet attributed the position to RTÉ and to comments by Bakhurst, who it said saw no reason to revisit the decision because of conditions in Gaza. Politico reported in September 2025 that Ireland’s public broadcaster had already said it would not take part in the next Eurovision if Israel participated. (informat.ro) That earlier report described the dispute as part of a wider backlash over the EBU’s handling of Israel’s place in the contest. ### What is the Netherlands waiting for? Informat said the Kingdom of the Netherlands had suspended a final decision on Eurovision 2027 participation pending an official EBU assessment. (informat.ro) The report said Israel’s participation remained the central issue in the dispute. A September 2025 report from Algemeiner said Dutch and Irish broadcasters had both signaled they would not compete in the 2026 contest if Israel took part. (politico.eu) Informat’s account indicates the Dutch position has not yet hardened into a confirmed withdrawal for 2027, but remains contingent on the EBU process. That is an inference from the two reports. (informat.ro) ### How much of this traces back to Vienna 2026? Vienna hosted Eurovision 2026 on May 16 at Wiener Stadthalle, where Bulgaria won for the first time with DARA’s “Bangaranga” on 516 points, according to EurovisionWorld. The Associated Press also reported that DARA won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna and described it as Bulgaria’s first victory. Informat said the 2026 edition was marked by protests and boycotts and that those disputes were already affecting the 2027 field. (algemeiner.com) The outlet named Israel’s participation amid the Gaza conflict as the flashpoint. ### Are other broadcasters still committing to 2027? North Macedonia’s MRT has confirmed it will return for Eurovision 2027, ESCToday reported on May 21, citing Director General Zoran Ristoski. (eurovisionworld.com) That makes North Macedonia one of the early broadcasters to publicly commit while Ireland has moved the other way. ESCToday and other Eurovision-focused outlets also reported this week that Luxembourg intends to participate in 2027. (informat.ro) Those announcements suggest the 2027 lineup is beginning to take shape country by country rather than through a single consolidated EBU list. ### What happens next before the 2027 contest? The EBU is the body expected to oversee participation decisions for Eurovision 2027, and Informat said the Netherlands is waiting for its assessment before confirming whether it will enter. (esctoday.com) Bulgaria is set to host as the reigning winner, following DARA’s May 16, 2026 victory in Vienna. The next formal milestones are likely to be broadcaster confirmations and any EBU statements on eligibility and participation. (informat.ro) (eurovisionfun.com)