Eurovision Song Contest

Israel’s Eurovision future at risk over KAN funding bill, EBU warns

EBU Director-General Noel Curran warned that a bill changing KAN’s funding could harm Israel’s global standing and threaten its future participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

 View of the offices of Israel's public broadcaster KAN in Jerusalem. January 31, 2023.
Moldovan singer Vlad Sabajuc, aka Satoshi and representing Moldova with the song 'Viva, Moldova!', performs during the dress rehearsal for the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 (ESC) at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria on May 16, 2026.

Moldova broadcaster chief resigns after Eurovision jury vote sparks public backlash

Israeli singer Noam Bettan, who represented Israel at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna and finished in second place, is seen after arriving at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, May 17, 2026.

Louder than noise: Noam Bettan let music, not politics, define his performance - editorial

Noam Bettan with dancers

Who gave Israel the coveted 12 points? Noam Bettan secures 2nd at Eurovision thanks to public vote


Swiss Eurovision winner's trophy shattered while returning to EBU in protest of Israel

Nemo suffered a hand injury shortly after receiving the trophy in 2024 when the notoriously fragile glass trophy broke for the first time.

Nemo representing Switzerland celebrates after winning during the Grand Final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, in Malmo, Sweden, May 12, 2024.

EBU approves Israel's 2026 Eurovision song after undergoing minor adjustments

Each song undergoes a review process, and EBU officials requested a few minor adjustments for Israel's entry, which the Israeli songwriters agreed to.

Noam Bettan will represent Israel at Eurovision 2026.

Former Eurovision contestant Yuval Raphael co-writes song selected for this year's submission

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN announced Friday that the song, which was written by Raphael with Nadav Aharoni and Tzlil Klipi, was selected on Friday by its professional committee.

 Yuval Raphael, representing Israel, performs "New Day Will Rise", during the Grand Final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, May 17, 2025.

Italian broadcast reps. urge inclusion of Palestine in Eurovision 

Only countries with a public broadcaster that is a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) participate in Eurovision, and Palestine does not have a public broadcaster.

Eurovision 2026 logo

Israel will take part in the first Eurovision semifinal, EBU announces

This year’s Eurovision contest will take place in Austria in May, with the semifinals set for May 12 and May 14 and the finals on May 16.

ISRAEL HAS been singled out as no country ever has been before at Eurovision. Here, viewers cheer as they watch this year’s Eurovision Song Contest finals being screened at a community center in Tel Aviv, in May.

Boycotts and rule changes don’t stop Israel topping Eurovision odds

Israel leads Eurovisionworld.com’s early odds with 10%, followed by Sweden 9%, Ukraine 7%, Finland 6%, and Italy 5%.

 Pro-Palestinian protestors hold a flag and a banner outside the RTE (Radio Telefis Eireann) Irish public service broadcaster television studios as demonstrators call for an Irish boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if there is Israeli participation, in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2025.

Eurovision host says it won't ban Palestinian flags, drown out boos during Israel's performance

The 70th edition of the contest in May will have just 35 entries, the fewest since 2003, after five national broadcasters said they would boycott the show in protest against Israel's participation.

Pro-Palestinian protestors hold a flag and a banner outside the RTE (Radio Telefis Eireann) Irish public service broadcaster television studios as demonstrators call for an Irish boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if there is Israeli participation, in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2025.

Swiss Eurovision winner Nemo announces they are returning their trophy in protest against Israel

The comments are the latest protest against the European Broadcasting Union, which has seen five countries pull out after it cleared Israel last week to take part in next year's event in Austria.

Nemo, representing Switzerland, performs "The Code" during the Grand Final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, in Malmo, Sweden, May 11, 2024.

Boycotts could hurt Eurovision budget but not the 'show,' host ORF says

At a meeting on Thursday, national broadcasters that make up the European Broadcasting Union cleared Israel to take part in the next contest in May

People cheer as they watch the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest finals being screened at a community center in Tel Aviv, Israel, on May 17, 2025.

Germany knows that erasing Israel from various platforms does nothing for peace - editorial

The Germans, speaking from painful experience, believe that this type of exclusion should never be normalized, and attempts to delegitimize an entire people never end well. The world should listen.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to suspend arms deliveries to Israel has unleashed quite a storm at home, says the writer.