Ireland’s public broadcaster, RTÉ, has said it will neither take part in nor broadcast the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria, extending its withdrawal from the competition for a second consecutive year.
The decision, announced on 17 September 2026, means Ireland will miss Eurovision in consecutive years for the first time. RTÉ said its position reflected the continuing death toll in Gaza, the humanitarian crisis in the territory and restrictions on access for international journalists.
“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 it remained deeply concerned by the continued denial of independent access to international journalists to the territory.
The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has also said it will not participate in Eurovision 2027. It said the competition could no longer be regarded as neutral while a participating country remained involved in a large-scale military conflict.
The withdrawals follow a wider boycott of the 2026 contest in Vienna. Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland announced in December 2025 that they would boycott that event, following a meeting of the European Broadcasting Union, the body that organises Eurovision, in Geneva.
RTÉ withdrew from the Vienna contest after the European Broadcasting Union confirmed that Israeli public broadcaster KAN would be permitted to compete. The dispute followed controversy surrounding voting practices at the 2025 contest, after an Israeli government agency used social media advertising and state accounts to encourage votes for Israel’s entry.
Martin Green, the Eurovision Song Contest director, said the European Broadcasting Union regretted RTÉ’s decision while fully respecting it.
The 2027 contest is due to be held in Burgas, Bulgaria. Its semi-finals are scheduled for 11 and 13 May, followed by the Grand Final at Arena Burgas on 15 May. It will be the 71st Eurovision Song Contest.
Bulgaria secured hosting rights after DARA won Eurovision 2026 in Vienna with Bangaranga.
Ireland has a long history in the contest, having won seven times between 1970 and 1996. That is a joint record with Sweden. Its latest withdrawal therefore carries particular weight for a competition in which Ireland has been among the most successful countries.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in response to a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. More than 73,780 people have been killed during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
It remains unknown whether further broadcasters will withdraw from the 2027 contest, or whether the European Broadcasting Union will make changes to voting rules or other contest procedures in response to the disputes that preceded the boycotts.
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