Ireland to Skip Eurovision for Second Year Over Israel's Participation
Ireland will not participate in or broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, extending its boycott for a second consecutive year due to Israel's inclusion in the competition. Ireland's public broadcaster, RTÉ, confirmed its decision on Thursday, stating its position remains unchanged, citing the situation in Gaza, particularly the "humanitarian crisis and loss of life." RTÉ had previously refused to participate in or air the 2026 contest for the same reasons.
This marks Ireland as the first country to officially and definitively announce its withdrawal from Eurovision 2027, which is scheduled to take place in Bourgas, Bulgaria. In 2026, several countries, including Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, and Slovenia, boycotted the event to protest Israel's participation.
The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has also indicated it does not wish to participate in the 2027 contest. However, the final decision for the Netherlands rests with the public broadcasting organization NPO, which might assign participation to a different broadcaster.
Eurovision 2027 is scheduled for May 11, 13, and 15 in Bourgas. Bulgaria will host the contest following its victory in the 2026 edition held in Vienna, where Israeli representative Noam Bettan secured second place.
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