Foreign Relations

Eurovision Adds Security Rule That Could Bar Israel From Hosting

Published

Courtroom-sketch editorial illustration of a Eurovision arena crowd waving Israeli flags beneath warm stage lights.

The European Broadcasting Union's 2027 rules say a winning broadcaster may be ruled ineligible to host when armed conflict, geopolitical instability or other conditions materially affect regional security and safety. The EBU may preserve hosting eligibility after consulting its Reference Group and commissioning a security assessment if safe, uninterrupted delivery can be guaranteed. The rule affects hosting, not participation or the contest result, and a replacement broadcaster would assume full hosting rights and obligations. Israel finished second in 2025 and 2026 and last hosted Eurovision in 2019 after Netta Barzilai's 2018 victory.

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