Overview
- Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE said it will not air the 2026 contest, ending an unbroken run on Spanish TV since 1961.
- RTVE also withdrew its financial support as a member of the contest’s “big five,” the group of broadcasters that contribute the most money and normally get automatic final slots.
- The European Broadcasting Union kept Israel in the lineup after confirming its place late last year, and broadcasters in the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland, and Spain then declined to compete.
- More than 1,000 entertainment figures signed an open letter organized by Creative Community for Peace that rejects boycotts and urges Israel’s inclusion, with signers such as Gene Simmons, Amy Schumer, Sharon Osbourne, and Mila Kunis.
- The contest remains set for Vienna with semi‑finals on May 12 and 14 and a final on May 16, and the EBU said U.S. viewers can watch free on YouTube and Peacock for the first time.