Netherlands ends Eurovision boycott and will return to 2027 contest as Ireland refuses to follow suit
From the Newshound archive · first published 23 September 2026 · last updated 24 September 2026.
Dutch public broadcaster NPO has stepped in to bring the Netherlands back to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, overriding Avrotros, which had refused to return over Israel's continued participation. NPO chair Jet de Ranitz said the EBU had taken "important steps" on the rules, including barring winning countries from hosting if involved in an armed conflict. Ireland, by contrast, has confirmed it will boycott for a second year running, with RTÉ saying participation "cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza".
The Netherlands joined Ireland, Spain, Iceland and Slovenia in shunning the 2026 contest in Vienna over Israel's involvement in Gaza.
The head of Spain's public broadcaster appeared before lawmakers this week to signal his intention to propose extending the boycott, while Slovenia and Iceland have yet to announce their positions.
Belgium's Dutch-language broadcaster VRT also confirmed a return for 2027, the same day as the Dutch announcement.