Eurovision bars countries at war from hosting contest

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has changed Eurovision rules so that a winning country involved in an armed conflict or a "sensitive geopolitical situation" will be ineligible to host the following year's contest. The change, announced on Wednesday, comes after Israel finished second in both 2025 and 2026, and follows boycotts by five countries over its participation. Source: BBC

Rule details

• The winning broadcaster is automatically ineligible if an armed conflict or sensitive geopolitical situation affects the security, safety, or stability of their state or region. Source: Al Jazeera
• The EBU may commission an independent security assessment to decide if a winner can host. Source: DW
• If a winner is ruled ineligible, another broadcaster will host "in its own right" and will not be required to stage the event on behalf of the original winner. Source: The Guardian

Context and reactions

Israel, which has been at war in Gaza since 2023, has been the focus of protests and boycotts. Five countries—Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland—boycotted the 2026 contest in Vienna, saying they could not participate alongside Israel. Source: SCMP The rule change is widely seen as targeting Israel, though the EBU did not name any country. Source: BBC Ukraine, which won in 2022 but could not host due to Russia's invasion, is also affected. Source: DW

Other changes

The EBU also raised the minimum age for performers from 16 to 18 and required that lead vocals be performed live without pre-recorded support. Source: DW The 2027 contest will be held in Bulgaria, following Dara's victory in 2026. Source: The Guardian