Dutch public broadcaster NPO has today announced that the country will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, in Burgas. The broadcast withdrew from the Contest for the 2026 edition in Vienna, alongside those from Spain, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia. The country will return to the Contest in Bulgaria.
The Netherlands returns to Eurovision
After initial speculation that the Netherlands would boycott the competition for a second year, a press event held by Dutch broadcasting company NPO confirmed that the Netherlands will return to Eurovision for 2027.
In a statement, NPO addressed the decision for AVROTROS to return hosting responsibilities back to the NPO after 12 years, due to the ongoing crisis surrounding Israel’s participation. The broadcaster insisted that “those sensitivities have not gone away”, adding: “Over the past period, the NPO has held extensive discussions with the EBU about this.”
Jet de Ranitz, Chair of the Board at NPO:
“We understand that taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest gives rise to mixed feelings in the Netherlands. We have explicitly asked the EBU to make the unifying character of the contest a central part of the event once again, in recognition of a time of geopolitical unrest, war and polarisation.
The Song Contest was founded to bring the people of Europe together after the Second World War. We are seeking that connection again now, by taking account of what is happening in the world, but by making room for a conversation about it. To help shape and carry forward that direction, we as Dutch public broadcasting want to be part of the Eurovision Song Contest again. That way we can truly live up to ‘United by Music’ together.”
A new method of selecting an artist
The NPO officially confirmed that the way the act and song will be chosen for Eurovision has been changed. While initially it was down to just one broadcaster to decide the act and song, this will now be a joint effort with input from all broadcasters in the NPO broadcasting group. Further information on how the act will be chosen will be revealed in due course. The NOS will continue to provide commentary and broadcast the Contest, in line with its legal obligations.
Jurre Bosman, Director of Media at NPO, said:
“It is important that, as a public broadcaster, we remain part of this unifying European event at this moment in particular, an event that wants to take serious steps towards a format that better reflects the times we live in. It also means we are responding to the wishes of hundreds of thousands of Dutch Eurovision fans, and that is ultimately what we are here for as a public broadcaster.”
The Netherlands’ Eurovision history
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.
Are you excited to see the Netherlands return to the Contest in Burgas? 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, Bluesky, and ZOOP for more information about Eurovision 2027!
News source: NPO
Image credits: Anp / Hollandse Hoogte / Robin Utrecht
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