RTVE Withdraws Spain from Eurovision 2026 if Israel Participates

National broadcaster RTVE has announced it will withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 if Israel participates.

This decision was approved by a majority of the RTVE Board 10 to 4, with one abstention, following a meeting of the broadcasters Council of Administration this week.

RTVE reassured the public that it will continue to hold the Benidorm Fest, a vital pre-selection event for Eurovision, independent of the situation.

The festival will celebrate its fifth edition next year.

Spain joins four other countries in this stance – the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, and Ireland – in announcing planned boycotts for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna.

Photo: By MrSilesian – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=165304972