Austria will not take part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026 if Israel participates, broadcaster RTE has announced, as a number of other countries have threatened the same
Eurovision 2026 is hanging by a thread as Austria threatens to step down if there is a boycott against Israel’s participation.
Austria’s capital Vienna has been selected by Host Broadcaster ORF and the EBU to host the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in 2026, between May 12 and May 16.
In a shocking move, the leaders of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker and State Secretary Alexander Pröll announced that if there is a boycott against Israel’s participation then Austria’s national broadcaster ORF should not host Eurovision, the website Eurovision Fun reported on Wednesday.
The Eurovision Broadcasting Union (EBU), the body that runs the Eurovision Song Contest, recently announced that its general assembly will hold a vote in November on whether Israel can participate.
There has been pressure to hold this vote from various European public broadcasters, and several countries have already announced that they will not take part in the 2026 song contest if Israel takes part, because of the war in Gaza.
A Eurovision spokesperson said it was down to each state to decide whether it wanted to take part in the contest.
Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Iceland have all announced they will not participate if Israel takes the stage. Spain’s decision is especially significant because it is one of Eurovision’s “big five” sponsors, along with France, Italy, Germany, and the UK.
Austria agreed to host the event in Vienna in 2026 when JJ of Austria won the contest this year with the song “Wasted Love.” Refusing to host the song contest next year could see Austria facing a potential penalty fee of up to 40 million euros.
According to Eurovision Fun, the Mayor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig, has said that excluding Israel would be “a serious mistake.” But the city reportedly still plans to host the event. The website also cited reports that heated discussions have begun between Stocker and Ludwig to stem the crisis.
Chancellor Christian Stocker and State Secretary Alexander Pröll are reportedly pressuring both ORF and the City of Vienna not to host the event if Israel is excluded.
This morning a major breakthrough in the two-year conflict in Gaza appears to be taking place, with Israel and Hamas agreeing to the “first phase” of the US peace plan – it is not yet clear if this will alter Austria’s stance on hosing the event next year.
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