Iceland boycotted Eurovision in Vienna

Reykjavík (dpa) — Iceland, like several other countries, also plans to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Austria due to the possible participation of Israel following a decision by the board of the Icelandic broadcaster RÚV at a meeting in Reykjavík on Wednesday.

The participating broadcasters from Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands had already announced a boycott of Eurovision over the decision to allow Israel to take part if it wishes to. Other countries are also considering such a step.

They are reacting to a majority decision made by the organizing European Broadcasting Union (EBU) last week, which stated that all countries wishing to participate in the music competition are allowed to do so – which means there is no longer any obstacle to Israel’s participation in the next Eurovision in Vienna.

Iceland boycotted Eurovision in Vienna

Due to Israel’s actions in the Gaza war, some broadcasters, including the RÚV, had demanded the exclusion of the country from the competition.

The broadcaster has now stated that, given the public debate in Iceland and the reactions to the EBU’s decision, it is clear that in the event of Icelandic participation in Eurovision, “neither joy nor peace” would prevail. Therefore, the broadcaster will inform the EBU that they will not participate in the next Eurovision.

The Eurovision Song Contest actually holds significant importance in Iceland. In the town of Húsavík, there is a dedicated Eurovision museum, and the film comedy “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” featuring Hollywood stars like Will Ferrell, is set in the small community in the remote north of the North Atlantic island.