Spanish Public Broadcaster RTVE Announces Withdrawal from Eurovision 2026 over Israel's Participation

Spanish public broadcaster RTVE announces withdrawal from Eurovision over Israel's participation

Madrid, 6 March 2026 — Spain’s national public broadcasting corporation RTVE has officially confirmed the country’s full withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest. The decision follows the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) refusal in December 2025 to exclude Israel from the 2026 contest, despite widespread appeals and calls for a separate voting mechanism.

According to RTVE’s official statement, Spain will not participate in Eurovision 2026 — to be held in Vienna, Austria — and will also completely cease broadcasting all stages of the contest, including both semi-finals and the grand final. This marks the first time since 1961 that Spain will be absent from Eurovision, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted participation.

“The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, ongoing violence, and the politicisation of the contest render it impossible to sustain Eurovision as a neutral cultural event,” RTVE representatives stated. The boycott decision was initially approved by RTVE’s board in September 2025 and formally enacted on 4 December 2025, following the EBU General Assembly in Geneva.

Spain joined the boycott alongside Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia, whose broadcasters also announced withdrawal and non-broadcasting. These countries cited massive civilian casualties in Gaza and alleged violations of the contest’s principle of political neutrality.

The news triggered significant resonance across Europe and the Middle East. Within Spanish society, RTVE’s decision received broad support from Eurovision fans (“eurofans”), who hailed it as “an act of dignity and consistency.” Meanwhile, EBU organisers stressed that new safeguards had been introduced to preserve the integrity of the contest — though no separate vote for Israel was implemented.

Spain had previously announced its intention to initiate reforms to the Eurovision rules, aiming to establish a legal basis for excluding countries that systematically violate international law and human rights. Madrid aims to achieve these changes ahead of the 2027 contest.

It remains unclear how the simultaneous absence of several countries — including one of the “Big Five” — will affect the contest’s popularity and format in 2026.