---
title: "Spain to quit 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participates"
description: "Spanish state broadcaster RTVE's board voted on Tuesday to withdraw from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest to be held in May in Vienna if Israel takes part in the event."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-09-16-spain-to-quit-2026-eurovision-song-contest-if-israel-participates/"
published: "2025-09-16T13:15:09"
updated: "2025-09-16T13:15:10"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 149
---

# Spain to quit 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participates

> Spanish state broadcaster RTVE's board voted on Tuesday to withdraw from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest to be held in May in Vienna if Israel takes part in the event.

By Reuters · Published 16 September 2025, 15:15 SAST · Updated 16 September 2025, 15:15 SAST

## Key points
- In a melodramatic twist worthy of Eurovision itself, Spain has joined the ranks of five nations pledging to boycott the 2025 contest in a bid to keep politics out of the song and dance, while the war in Gaza continues to steal the spotlight from the glittering stage.
- Spain joins the pledge to exclude Israel from Eurovision 2025, becoming the first of the "Big Five" countries to do so.
- RTVE President Jose Pablo Lopez's proposal received overwhelming support, with 10 votes in favor from a 15-member board.
- Eurovision faces backlash over its political neutrality amid ongoing tensions related to the Gaza conflict.
- Controversy escalates as Austrian winner JJ advocates for Israel's exclusion in the 2026 contest.

## Content

Spain is the fifth country to make such a pledge after the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Ireland, and the first of the so-called "Big Five" - a group that also includes Britain, Germany, Italy and France. These countries automatically qualify for the contest's final round.

The measure, proposed by RTVE President Jose Pablo Lopez, garnered 10 votes in favour, four against and one abstention in the 15-member board, the broadcaster said in a statement.

Eurovision, which stresses its political neutrality, has faced controversy this year linked to the war in Gaza.

Several countries had urged the European Broadcasting Union, an alliance of public broadcasters that organises and co-produces the annual event, to exclude Israel from the 2025 edition. Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael ended up finishing second.

Austrian singer JJ, who won this year, has also called for Israel's exclusion in 2026.

(Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Inti Landauro)