Overview
- The contest will take place in Vienna from 12 to 16 May 2026, with Austria’s ORF hosting the event for the third time.
- Broadcasters from Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland have announced they will not participate, with Spain identified as a major financial contributor.
- With 35 countries confirmed, the field is the smallest since 2003, even with the returns of Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova after multi‑year absences.
- The rule package includes limits on individual voting, the return of professional juries in the semi‑finals with broader membership, and stronger technical checks against coordinated or fraudulent voting.
- A majority of member broadcasters chose not to hold a vote on Israel’s participation, a decision that preceded the boycott announcements.