Ireland will boycott 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for 2nd year over Israel's participation

Spectators wave flags of Israel and Palestine during the first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria, on May 12. Ireland's public broadcaster said Thursday it was boycotting the song contest for a second year in 2027. (Christian Bruna/Getty Images)Social SharingIreland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second year over Israel's participation, the country's national broadcaster said Thursday.

RTE said it will not send an act to the 2027 competition in Bulgaria and will not broadcast the show because of the "appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza."

Ireland was one of five countries — along with the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia and Spain — to skip Eurovision this year to protest Israel's inclusion in the pan-continental music contest.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced last month it will also boycott next year, calling Eurovision a "platform for division."

"AVROTROS will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027 because the event can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict," it said.

Next year's competition is due to take place in May in Bulgaria's Black Sea resort of Burgas.