Overview
- Engels, speaking Tuesday in remarks carried by the German press agency dpa, said the contest should focus on music and connection rather than hosting deep political disputes.
- Five public broadcasters have withdrawn or will not air this year’s show in protest of Israel’s participation, including Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland.
- The 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle from May 12 to 16, with 35 countries set to compete after the protest-driven withdrawals.
- The European Broadcasting Union has tightened rules for 2026, cutting televotes per payment method to ten and expanding juries to seven members with two aged 18 to 25, and it restored juries in the semifinals while also curbing politically backed promotion.
- Betting markets currently favor Finland’s Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, while Germany’s entry by Engels with Fire sits far lower in the odds, a backdrop she has faced alongside online abuse that she addressed in a recent Instagram reel.