Eurovision bans countries at war or in geopolitical crises from hosting the contest

Full text

Eurovision has changed its rules to block countries involved in armed conflict or any other “sensitive geopolitical situation” from hosting the annual song contest.

The change comes as the last two years of the contest have been overshadowed by controversy surrounding Israel’s participation.

Five countries staged an unprecedented boycott of the 2026 contest rather than compete alongside Israel. They pointed to the country’s war in Gaza — sparked by the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas militants — and the resulting humanitarian crisis it triggered.

Despite this, Israel has come close to winning the 2025 and 2026 editions of the competition, garnering a strong public vote. Israel’s pubic broadcaster KAN has denied claims that results were unfairly influenced by mass voting campaigns.

Eurovision is organized by the European Broadcasting Union, an alliance of 113 public service media organizations across 56 countries. Typically, the national broadcaster that wins the competition hosts the following edition in their home country.

There have been some exceptions. When Ukraine won the 2022 contest, the organizers said the country could not host the following year’s contest due to Russia’s ongoing invasion raising safety concerns.

The new rules would make a winning broadcaster automatically ineligible to host “if an armed conflict, a sensitive geopolitical situation, or any other situation materially affects the security, safety or stability of their state or immediate region.”

The organizers could still commission an independent security assessment to determine whether a winner can safely host the contest. If a winner is deemed unable to host, the broadcasting union has the power to choose an alternative.

Organizers said the rule change follows “feedback from participating broadcasters” after the 2026 contest in Vienna. They will apply from next year, when the contest takes place in Bulgaria.

“These changes are about giving everyone involved greater clarity, protecting artists and ensuring the Contest continues to provide a safe and welcoming environment, while preserving the spirit and integrity that make the Eurovision Song Contest so special,” said Eurovision director Martin Green.