Friday, September 18, 2026 - Ireland will boycott the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year, with national broadcaster RTÉ confirming it will neither participate in the competition nor broadcast the event.
RTÉ said its decision is linked to the continuing loss of life and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as concerns over restrictions on independent international journalists entering the territory.
The decision puts Ireland among the countries stepping away from Eurovision over Israel’s continued participation. The Netherlands has also announced that it will not take part in 2027, while Spain, Iceland and Slovenia have yet to confirm whether they will return.
Eurovision director Martin Green said the European Broadcasting Union regrets RTÉ’s decision but respects it and will remain in dialogue with the Irish broadcaster.
The 2027 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, with the grand final set for May 15, 2027.
The latest withdrawals add further pressure and attention to the contest as broadcasters weigh participation amid continuing disagreement over Israel’s involvement. The EBU has not yet released the final list of participating countries.
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