With the deadline for broadcasters to pull out of participation in Eurovision 2027 fast approaching, there has been rumours that one of the countries that participated last year might not be returning, and that is Czechia.
Financial reasons for non-participation in Burgas?
Czech news outlet Aktualně reports that Czechia is set to sit out next year’s competition, which will take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, which was reportedly confirmed by several independent sources. The report states that lay offs at ČT is set to commence next year, and that programming will now be canned in order to save 350 million Czech koruna.
There had been concerns about Czechia’s future in the Contest after it was revealed that the broadcaster would undergo a financial overhaul. Instead of being funded with television licence fees, the station would now receive its funds entirely from the government. This would result in a huge financial cutback for the broadcaster, which will see several of its shows being cancelled, including Eurovision.
Czechia’s Eurovision journey
Czechia made their debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, with Kabát’s “Malá dama”; however, their debut entry finished last in a 28-song semi-final, scoring only 1 point. This kicked off three consecutive non-qualifications, with their best result coming in 2008, finishing in second-last place. Having withdrawn in 2009 due to poor results, Czechia returned to the Contest in 2015. In 2016, Czechia qualified for the first time with Gabriela Gunciková’s “I Stand”.
Czechia continued its recent tradition of internally selecting its representatives for Eurovision in 2026, selecting Daniel Zižka with “CROSSROADS”. The song was able to qualify for the final from the second semi-final, and ultimately finished in 16th place, scoring 113 points. Of these, only 9 came from the televote, whilst the remaining 104 points came from the jury.
What do you think of Czechia confirming their participation in Eurovision 2027? Who would you like to see represent them at the contest in Bulgaria? 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: Aktualne.cz
Photo Credits: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU
Rory Gannon 
That Eurovision Site