As the new Eurovision season gets underway, the EBU is considering extending the deadline for countries to participate at Eurovision 2026. It is now being reported that countries will have until December to decide whether to take part.
Israel at the heart of the deadline extension
According to Israeli newspaper Ynet, the decision was made in response to the growing calls to expel Israel from Eurovision. Currently, a total of three broadcasters have openly called for Israel to be excluded from future Contests. Meanwhile, the fallout from the televoting scandal in Basel resulted in seven different broadcasters demanding a full breakdown of their televoting results. These calls came following accusations that Israel was manipualting the televote in order to secure its second-place finish.
In the wake of the Contest, all Heads of Delegation were brought together in London in July to discuss the prospect of Israeli exclusion. The result split opinions among nations, with some actively supporting KAN’s exclusion – while others advocated for KAN to remain in the competition. After two days of heated debates, it was decided a vote on Israeli participation would be held at the end of the year.
Withdrawing without sanctions
Now, senior members of the EBU have told the outlet that broadcasters will have until December to decide if they will take part next year. Traditionally, countries have until mid-October to formally withdraw from the Contest without paying a fine. However, with tensions high due to the war in Gaza, the EBU is giving countries extra time to formally confirm participation or withdraw without facing the prospect of sanctions.
Ynet speculated that two scenarios are now being set up ahead of Vienna. These are:
- Scenario 1: Israel’s participation is ultimately voted through, and the EBU uses this as an opportunity to ease broadcasters into another Contest with Israel included
- Scenario 2: Israel’s participation is voted through, but several broadcasters withdraw from the Contest in protest
A third scenario, in which Israel is voted to be excluded from future Eurovisions, was not discussed by the outlet.
The move comes after an anonymous official within the EBU said should Israel’s war in Gaza continue into the winter, the prospect of Israeli participation would be very unlikely. Currently, 23 nations – including Israel – have confirmed participation at Eurovision 2026.
The story of Eurovision 2026 so far
The journey to the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest kicked off immediately following JJ’s win in Basel, when Austria’s ORF accepted the rights to host the 70th edition of the contest. The bidding process started in June, with interested cities having until July 4 to submit their bid book. Innsbruck and Vienna were shortlisted, with the latter winning the right to host next year’s contest.
As for the organisation of the competition, the ‘core team‘ was revealed in June 2025, with further details about next year’s competition to be revealed in due course. The shows will take place on May 12th, 14th and 16th.
What do you think about the move to extend the deadline? When do you believe the decision on Israeli participation will be made? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News Source: Ynet
Photo Credit: Corinne Cumming / EBU
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