The debate over Israel's participation once again marks the path to Eurovision 2027. Ireland has officially confirmed that it will not participate in the next edition of the festival, which will be held in Bulgaria, and that it will also not broadcast the contest through its public television, RTÉ.
The decision marks Ireland's second consecutive absence. The country already decided not to participate in the 2026 edition, held in Vienna, after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed that Israel could compete. For 2027, RTÉ maintains the same stance regarding Israel's continuity in the contest.
In a statement published this Thursday, the Irish public broadcaster explained that it considers its participation "cannot be justified" given the humanitarian situation in Gaza and also expressed its concern about restrictions on independent access for international journalists to the territory.
Ireland once again withdraws from the festival
RTÉ's decision comes after AVROTROS, the Dutch public broadcaster, also confirmed that it will not participate in Eurovision 2027. In both cases, the broadcasters thus maintain the position adopted during the 2026 edition.
Ireland, which debuted in Eurovision in 1965 and has won the contest seven times, will not have a representative in Bulgaria next year. Nor will it broadcast the semifinals or the grand final from its public television.
From the festival organization, the director of the Eurovision Song Contest, Martin Green, regretted RTÉ's decision, although he noted that the EBU respects the broadcaster's decision and will continue to be in contact with it with the intention that Ireland may return in the future.
What will Spain do?
The focus now returns to Spain, one of the countries that also did not participate in Eurovision 2026. RTVE has not yet confirmed whether it will attend the 2027 edition, so the Spanish candidacy remains up in the air.
Spain was one of the five countries —along with Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland, and Slovenia— that withdrew from the 2026 edition due to Israel's participation. RTVE's decision for 2026 came after the EBU confirmed the presence of the Israeli public television, KAN, in the contest.
For now, therefore, there is no official confirmation that Spain will repeat its absence in 2027. The situation remains pending RTVE's decision and that of its governing bodies.
Bulgaria to host Eurovision 2027
The next edition of the festival will be held in Burgas, Bulgaria, after Bulgarian representative DARA won Eurovision 2026 in Vienna with Bangaranga. The grand final is scheduled for May 15, 2027, while the semifinals will take place on May 11 and 13.
The definitive list of participating countries has not yet been closed, so the decisions of Ireland, the Netherlands, and those adopted by other public bodies in the coming weeks could modify the final lineup of the contest.
Israel's participation thus continues to be one of the main issues conditioning the composition of Eurovision 2027. While some broadcasters maintain their decision not to participate, the EBU has reiterated its intention to maintain dialogue with the organizations that have withdrawn from the festival.