Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ has announced it will boycott the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year, citing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s continued participation in the pan-continental music competition. The decision follows a similar boycott announcement by the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS.
RTÉ Cites Gaza Crisis in Second Consecutive Eurovision Boycott
Ireland will skip the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, declining to send an act or broadcast the pan-continental event. In a statement released on Thursday, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) explained that the nation cannot justify participating in the music competition while civilian lives remain at risk in the Middle East.
RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk,
the broadcaster said, according to reporting from Al Jazeera. The Irish network added that it remains deeply concerned by the continued denial of independent access for international journalists to the territory.
The announcement makes Ireland the second country to confirm a withdrawal from the 2027 contest, following a similar move by the Netherlands last month. Both Ireland and the Netherlands were among five nations—alongside Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain—that skipped the 2026 competition in Vienna to protest Israel’s inclusion.
Broadcasters Express Neutrality Concerns as AVROTROS Joins Boycott
Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS announced its own withdrawal from the 2027 event last month, declaring that the contest can no longer be considered neutral while a participating country remains involved in a large-scale military conflict. AVROTROS director-general Taco Zimmerman stated that international conflicts are undermining the contest, turning it into a platform for division.
Earlier this month, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced a rule change stating that any country involved in an armed conflict would be ineligible to host the competition. Winning countries would also be barred from hosting if a sensitive geopolitical situation affects their regional security or safety. However, AVROTROS maintained that these measures were insufficient to address underlying concerns about neutrality.
EBU Response and Preparations for the 2027 Contest in Bulgaria
Eurovision organizers have acknowledged the mounting tensions surrounding member broadcaster participation. Eurovision Director Martin Green stated that organizers regretted RTÉ’s decision but fully respected it.
All broadcasters decide on an annual basis to participate in the following year’s contest.
Martin Green, Eurovision Director
Green emphasized that the power of music to bring people together remains at the core of the contest, particularly in an increasingly divided world. The EBU is reportedly in talks with other Dutch broadcasters in hopes that an alternative public service television station from the Netherlands might take part.
Next year’s competition is scheduled to take place on May 15 in the Bulgarian Black Sea resort city of Burgas. Bulgaria won the rights to host the 2027 event after Bulgarian singer Dara won the 2026 competition held in Vienna with her song Bangaranga
.