Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has confirmed that they will not participate at Eurovision 2026.
AVROTROS confirms non-participation
Following their previous statement in September, AVROTROS have today confirmed that they will withdraw from Eurovision 2026. Following the EBU general assembly today, they have issued a statement.
The statement from the broadcaster reads:
So far, the Netherlands are the first country to announce its withdrawal from the 2026 contest. We will follow this situation closely and keep updating as events unfold.
The Netherlands’ Eurovision journey
The Netherlands are one of the founding countries of the ESC, having performed the very first song ever on the Eurovision stage back in 1956. While the result of “De Vogels van Holland” is unknown, the Netherlands have garnered 5 wins, with their most recent in 2019. However the Netherlands are also known to have had the longest ever non qualification streak in the semi-final era – they missed out on the final a whopping 8 times between 2005 and 2012.
Claude represented the Netherlands in 2025 with the song “C’est La Vie”. Competing in the first semi-final, he eventually qualified for the final in Basel. In the final, the Netherlands would eventually finish in 12th place with 175 points. 133 of these points came from the juries, while the remaining 42 came from the televote.
What do you think of The Netherlands’ withdrawal? 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: AVROTROS
Photo Credit: Elvin Boer
Euan T