Iceland Pulls Out of Eurovision 2026, Joining a Growing Bloc of Boycotting Broadcasters

Iceland has now made it official: RÚV will not take part in Eurovision 2026.
The decision, announced after a board meeting in Reykjavík, places the broadcaster alongside Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia — a group that has drawn a clear line after the EBU allowed Israel to remain in the competition.

The announcement wasn’t wrapped in diplomatic cotton. According to Director General Stefán Eiríksson, Israel’s continued participation through public broadcaster KAN has caused “profound division” both within Iceland and across the wider Eurovision community. The public mood at home made the choice even starker: a crowd gathered outside RÚV’s headquarters today in open support of withdrawing.

In the statement, RÚV acknowledged what has been obvious for days:
there is no atmosphere of celebration, unity or peace around Iceland competing next year. Quite the opposite. After the EBU confirmed last week that Israel would stay in, tensions surged and public reaction hardened. Eurovision, usually a beloved fixture in Iceland, suddenly became a national headache.

So RÚV sent its message to Geneva today: Iceland is out.

This marks the fifth withdrawal for 2026 and deepens the mounting crisis facing the EBU. Each country has cited different nuances — humanitarian concerns, press freedom violations, political interference — but the conclusion is identical: the contest can’t pretend to be apolitical while avoiding a decision that many broadcasters view as unavoidable.

Vienna may still host Eurovision next May, but with each passing day the guest list shrinks, the mood worsens and the festival’s supposed “unity through music” feels increasingly fragile.

Source: RÚV