Could Austria refuse to host 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is frozen out?
A growing number of voices from the ruling Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) are trying to convince the organisers of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Vienna in May, not to host the competition in case Israel is boycotted from the event, according to domestic reports.
Initially, reports claimed that Chancellor Christian Stocker and State Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Alexander Pröll, both from ÖVP, were among those who said Austria could refuse to host in case Israel is boycotted.
However, the Chancellery did not confirm this when asked by the Austrian outlet Kurier. The same outlet has stated that, according to its findings, a number of ÖVP politicians have openly shared this opinion.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the body responsible for the annual music competition, said that its general assembly will vote in November on whether Israel can participate.
There has been pressure to freeze Israel out of the contest because of the war in Gaza and the spiralling humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland and Slovenia have all said they will refuse to send competitors to the event if Israel is permitted to take part.
Spain's decision is particularly significant because of its role as one of Eurovision's "big five" sponsors, alongside France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.
According to the Israeli news portal Ynet in September, the EBU "unofficially" told Israeli representatives that they need to temporarily withdraw from the competition.
Alternatively, if Israel wishes to remain in the contest, they need to perform under a neutral flag, similar to the approach taken by Russian athletes at the Olympic Games.
However, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday that Germany would withdraw from the contest if Israel is prevented from competing, saying "Israel has a place there."
Austria is due to be host country for the 2026 contest after its entrant, JJ, won last year's event with the song "Wasted Love".
But refusing to host this late in the day could see the national broadcaster, ORF, slapped with a penalty fee of up to €40 million.
Israel has been a participant in Eurovision, established after World War II to provide a forum for peaceful competition among nations, since 1973.
As calls grew to remove Israel from the contest in 2024 and 2025 due to the Gaza war, the EBU said that Eurovision is not a competition between governments, but between public broadcasters.
It said that Israel’s public broadcaster, KAN, had not violated any rules to warrant being frozen out of Eurovision.
In the case that the winning country is unwilling or unable to host the contest, the BBC is regarded as the unofficial default broadcaster.