Organizers of Eurovision in Concert 2026 confirm the show will proceed in Amsterdam despite boycott pressures over Israel, emphasizing music’s unifying role
The controversy surrounding Eurovision 2026 continues: the organizers of Eurovision in Concert, one of the largest annual gatherings of the Eurovision community, held every year in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, have spoken out against the calls for a boycott of Israel in a new statement. “Eurovision in Concert 2026 will go on”, read the post. “As always, we’re looking forward to welcoming Eurovision delegations, fans and press from all over Europe for an unforgettable night in Amsterdam”.
Resisting the Pressure
The organizers described intense pressure placed on the management regarding Israel’s participation: “Dear Eurovision fans, we received several emails and messages whether Eurovision in Concert 2026 will go ahead after the news that several broadcoasters (including Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS) will withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 if Israel participates in Vienna.
“It goes without saying, we regret the current turbulent and challenging times. We fully understand the complexity of this issue and we are aware that there are differing opinions within the Eurovision fan community”.
After this introduction, the organizers clarified their official stance: “We believe our role is slightly different, as Eurovision in Concert isn’t part of the competition. We aim to be a pre-party where artists, fans and media come together and celebrate the unique diversity which Eurovision is supposed to stand for. Music should always unite people: especially in times of debate”.
The organizers further confirmed that the event is scheduled for April 11th, 2026, with ticket sales opening on Friday, October 10th.
Amsterdam as a Eurovision Hub
Since its founding in 2009, Eurovision in Concert has become one of the central stops in the Eurovision promotional season. Every year, thousands of fans from across Europe flock to the city to see the artists up close and enjoy live performances ahead of the official Eurovision stage.
Such evenings allow fans to form early opinions of the songs, watch initial stage interpretations, and sometimes even shift betting odds. For the artists themselves, it represents a crucial opportunity to perform in front of a real large-scale audience before the long journey to Basel.
Netherlands at Eurovision 2025
“C’est La Vie” is the title of the song performed by Claude, who represented the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025. The Netherlands qualified for the Grand Final after placing third in the first semi-final with 121 points. In the Grand Final, the Netherlands finished in 12th place with 175 points, with the jury awarding the country fifth place, but the public at home ranking it only 15th.
This year, the Netherlands participated in the Grand Final after two years of missing out. In 2023, Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper failed to qualify from the semi-final, while in 2024, Joost Klein was disqualified after the semi-final due to a violent incident involving the competition’s production team.
Eurovision 2026: This will be the Netherlands’ 66th participation in Eurovision. The Netherlands joined the competition in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won it five times over the years. The Netherlands’ last victory was at Eurovision 2019 with the song “Arcade” performed by singer Duncan Laurence.
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Maor Heumann has been writing about the Eurovision Song Contest and following it for over three decades. He has attended five contests and has found something to appreciate in almost every possible musical genre — from the sugary pop entries that finish last in the semi-finals to the quirky avant-garde pieces that even the competition’s juries struggled to connect with. He usually prefers original languages and songs with depth over Swedish-produced English clones — though he doesn’t promise to stick to that rule.
He grew up on the kibbutz of Sara’le Sharon, who instilled in him a love for music and created his first connection to the contest back in 1993 — before most of the current editorial team was even born.
