Stefán Jón Hafstein, chairman of the Icelandic national broadcaster’s board said the broadcaster will wait until December 2026 to decide whether to withdraw from Eurovision, depending on Israel’s participation.
Stefán Jón Hafstein, chairman of the board of the Icelandic national broadcaster, stated in a recent interview that the broadcaster has decided not to officially confirm its withdrawal from Eurovision 2026 until the new deadline set by the EBU. The EBU will now allow countries to withdraw without financial penalty until December, instead of October – possibly as a preparation for Israel’s participation, a decision expected around the same time.
“We have already made it clear that our participation in Eurovision is conditional”
Despite opposition to Israel’s participation, the broadcaster will still publish the artists’ shortlist for Söngvakeppnin 2026:
“In July, the EBU held its General Assembly, during which many voiced criticism – ours included – regarding Israel’s participation in the contest”.
Hafstein explained in an interview with the Icelandic outlet Vísir.
“Now I know that many are considering whether they want Israel to take part in the contest or not, and there is no obligation to announce participation before December. We will announce an invitation for Icelandic contestants to enter Söngvakeppnin, but on the condition of participation in Eurovision. We have already clarified to everyone that our participation is conditional”.
Hafstein added that once the EBU concludes its internal debates regarding Israel, Iceland’s board of directors will make its final decision.
In the shadow of the October 7th war, Hafstein had previously called for Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision 2026 and even proposed allowing only independent Israeli artists to compete under a neutral flag, preventing the Israeli flag from being displayed at the contest. He also suggested requiring Israeli contestants to make a public declaration of support for Eurovision’s core values, including a firm stance on human rights worldwide.
Spain, Slovenia, and Iceland Align Against Israel’s Participation
Earlier this week, it was reported that Spanish Foreign Minister Ernest Urtasun urged Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 in Vienna unless Israel is disqualified. In an interview with La 1 on behalf of the broadcaster, Urtasun called for Spain’s withdrawal and encouraged the government to follow Slovenia’s lead in urging Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision.
Slovenia, a consistent opponent of Israel’s participation, was the first to officially announce that it is considering withdrawing from the contest. RTVSLO, the Slovenian national broadcaster, stated that a decision will be made after the approval of its annual programming plan:
“If we do not receive a clear answer from the EBU regarding Israel’s participation and the credibility of the voting process – we will seriously consider withdrawing”.
At this stage, despite growing threats, most countries opposing Israel’s involvement have refrained from officially declaring withdrawal. However, this trend reflects increasing political and public pressure – most notably from Spain and others – on the EBU over whether Israel should compete in the 2026 contest.
Iceland in Eurovision 2025
“Róa” is the name of the song performed by the duo Væb, who represented Iceland at Eurovision 2025. Iceland advanced to the grand final after ranking sixth in the first semi-final with 97 points. In the grand final, Iceland finished in 25th place with 33 points,all from the public voting, placing them 17th, while the juries ranked them last with 0 points.
This year, Iceland participated in the grand final after two years of failing to qualify. In 2023, Diljá failed to advance to the final with her song “Power”. In 2024, Hera Björk placed last in the first semi-final with the song “Scared Of Heights”.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Iceland’s 38th participation in Eurovision. Iceland joined the competition in 1986 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 1999 and Eurovision 2009 after finishing second twice.
