Israel’s representative for the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria will be selected through the television talent show The Next Star for Eurovision, KAN and Keshet 12 announced.
The program, known in Hebrew as Hakokhav Haba L’Eurovision, will air on Keshet 12 this fall.
Representatives from KAN, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, will take part in selecting the winner during the semifinal and final stages of the program.
The renewed partnership between KAN and Keshet, as well as Tedy Productions, follows a series of strong Israeli performances at Eurovision.
Israel's past Eurovision contestants
Noam Bettan finished second with “Michelle” at the 2026 contest in Vienna, which was won by Bulgaria’s DARA with “Bangaranga.” Bulgaria’s victory means that it will host Eurovision 2027, although the host city and dates have not yet been announced.
Bettan’s result marked Israel’s second consecutive runner-up finish. Yuval Raphael came in second with “New Day Will Rise” at Eurovision 2025 in Basel and placed first in the public vote.
Eden Golan finished fifth overall with " Hurricane " and came in second in the public vote at the 2024 contest in Malmö, Sweden.
Israel last won Eurovision in 2018, when Netta Barzilai performed “Toy” in Lisbon, Portugal. Her victory brought the contest to Tel Aviv in 2019.
KAN said that continuing its partnership with Keshet, which will assume a significant portion of the costs associated with Israel’s Eurovision performance, would substantially reduce the public broadcaster’s expenses.
Who will represent Israel in 2027?
The song that will represent Israel in 2027 will be chosen according to procedures introduced ahead of Eurovision 2026. KAN said the system was designed to give all songwriters who meet the contest’s requirements an equal opportunity while enabling the committee to choose the best possible song.
Under the rules, recordings submitted to KAN’s selection committee may not feature the voice of any of the songwriters or anyone else whose voice could allow committee members to identify the creators. Songwriters will be permitted to use artificial-intelligence technology to produce the recording, allowing the entries to be evaluated anonymously.
The committee will listen to all eligible submissions and select up to approximately 40 songs during the first stage. Those entries will then be considered by a final committee composed of KAN professionals and a Keshet representative.
The Eurovision 2026 final, broadcast on KAN 11 in May, drew more than one million television viewers and received a 32.7% rating, according to the broadcaster. More than three million people watched through KAN’s digital platforms. Viewing peaked during Bettan’s performance, when KAN 11 recorded a 53.7% rating, the broadcaster said.
“I am delighted that the partnership between KAN, Keshet, and Tedy Productions is continuing, demonstrating the power of working together,” said Zivit Davidovitch, KAN’s acting vice president of television. “This partnership has produced excellent results for everyone involved and brought great pride to the State of Israel.”
Ilanit Siman Tov-Hirsch, Keshet 12’s vice president of entertainment, reality, and development, said The Next Star for Eurovision was “much more than a television program.”
'It is a platform that makes dreams come true'
“It is a platform that makes dreams come true and connects the audience to the Israeli representative’s journey to Eurovision,” she said. “We are pleased to continue the successful partnership with KAN and Tedy Productions, and we believe that this year, too, we will bring viewers an exciting, high-quality season, at the end of which the most deserving representative will be selected to represent Israel.”
Yoav Tzafir, the program’s chief editor, said the production was proud to continue the process that had made The Next Star for Eurovision the home of Israel’s Eurovision representatives in recent years.
“Every season, we encounter extraordinary talents, and the combination of a professional process, Israeli creativity, and our excellent cooperation with KAN enables us to select the artist who will represent Israel on the world’s biggest stage,” Tzafir said. “We are already looking forward to meeting the next generation of stars.”
The dates of the 2027 semifinals and final have not yet been announced. The shows will be broadcast live in Israel on KAN 11, KAN BOX, KAN’s app, and the corporation’s radio stations.