Roland Weißmann, Director General of Austria’s public broadcaster ORF, has called on other national broadcasters to support Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna.
Background & Current Pressure
In recent weeks, several large broadcasters such as Spain, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland threatened to withdraw from the contest if Israel competes.
Weißmann reports that ORF is engaging in behind-the-scenes diplomacy and will conduct continuous conversations with other EBU member-broadcasters to secure broad participation. He noted: “The time is for diplomacy – on and behind the curtain.”
He added: “I expect very many countries will take part in the anniversary year,” noting the final participation list will only be confirmed after the General Assembly on 10 December and once entry fees are paid. He emphasised that Eurovision “is not a political but a musical event” and urged colleagues to focus on the founding idea of being “united by music.” Weißmann also pointed out that the financial risk to the organiser (ORF) is manageable even if one or two countries drop out.
The Journey to Eurovision 2026
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.
Will there be a solution on December 10? 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: exxpress
Photo Credit: Roland Weißmann
Tetiana Viznytsia 
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