Azerbaijan, known for its support of Israel at Eurovision, officially responds to rumors about a withdrawal from Eurovision 2026 should Israel be excluded from the contest.
Azerbaijan has already confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. In recent months, Turkish media and social networks circulated rumors that Azerbaijan may withdraw from the upcoming contest if Israel is excluded. The Azerbaijani delegation’s Head of Media, Turab Teymurov, has put these rumors to rest.
Azerbaijan Stays Apolitical
In a conversation with the Azerbaijani news site APA, Teymurov clarified that the claims are unfounded and that the delegation’s approach is strictly apolitical regarding Eurovision:
“Whether it is Israel or any other country, we do not involve ourselves in politics.”
As a reminder, four countries have already announced they will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates—The Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia and Spain. Conversely, no nation has declared a boycott if Israel is excluded, but several countries—Austria, Italy, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, Switzerland, and Azerbaijan itself—support Israel’s continued participation.
EBU Decision Expected in December
Martin Green, the contest’s executive supervisor, stressed that participation in Eurovision is voluntary:
“The EBU will continue to maintain neutrality regarding the Middle East conflict”.
The vote on Israel’s suspension is expected December 4th-5th during the EBU General Assembly. Green added that by mid-December, each country will be required to confirm participation, and each national broadcaster will decide independently: “We will respect every decision”.
The EBU’s regulations allow suspension or expulsion of a country only through a special vote with a qualified majority, and only in extreme circumstances. Therefore, despite pressure from Slovenia, Spain, and Iceland, suspending or excluding Israel does not seem realistic at this stage. Nevertheless, Slovenia’s declarations and threats, along with the possibility of more countries joining a boycott, place significant uncertainty over the Vienna contest. Will Israel ultimately take part in the competition? For now, it is impossible to say with certainty — but many are still holding their breath in hope.
Azerbaijan at Eurovision 2025
“Run With U” is the song that will be performed by the band Mamagama, representing Azerbaijan at Eurovision 2025. The song was written by band member Safael Mishiyev, along with Roman Zee and KHVS. This is the first Eurovision entry for these songwriters, and the song is performed in English.
The band finished 15th and last place in the first semi-final, with 7 points, which failed Azerbaijan qualifying to the final for the third consecutive time.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Azerbaijan’s 18th participation in Eurovision. Azerbaijan joined the contest in 2008 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2011 when singers Ell and Nikki, won first place with the song “Running Scared”.
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Tal Dahan – Journalist, radio broadcaster, and Eurovision content creator.
Tal Dahan is an Israeli journalist and editor specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest, working with the EuroMix editorial team for four years. Since 2022, she has provided regular on-site coverage of Eurovision from the host city, and from 2023 has also reported directly from the press room—offering the Israeli audience live updates, exclusive interviews, and in-depth commentary.
Tal is a member of the Eurovision tribute and parody band “EuroFalsh,” a radio broadcaster, and a student of political science and communications.
She is considered one of Israel’s leading young Eurovision experts. In addition to covering the main contest, Tal has reported from Eurovision pre-parties and national selection events across Europe (in Thessaloniki, Stockholm, Madrid, and more), been interviewed by major media outlets in Israel and internationally, and presented Eurovision-themed podcasts and radio shows.
