Ireland to Boycott Eurovision 2027 Over Israel's Participation

Following the Netherlands' decision to boycott the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, Irish broadcaster RTE announced on Thursday that it will not participate in next year's event, scheduled to be held in Burgas, Bulgaria. The withdrawal is a protest against Israel's inclusion in the competition. RTE stated, "Our position remains unchanged, we are very concerned about the lack of access for foreign journalists to the Gaza Strip."

Last month, Dutch broadcaster AvroTros declared the Netherlands would boycott Eurovision 2027, citing concerns over the European Broadcasting Union's recent changes, which they believe do not sufficiently guarantee the contest's independent and neutral character. The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation has not yet commented on Ireland's withdrawal. Israeli representatives for the contest are expected to be chosen in the coming months.

Earlier this year, the 95th Eurovision final took place in Vienna, Austria. While the Israeli representative, Noam Botan, secured second place, several countries, including the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia, had announced their withdrawal prior to the final due to Israel's participation.