Icelandic Eurovision Viewership Plummets to Record Low After Withdrawal Meta Description: RÚV’s decision to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 led to an unprecedented ratings crash, with only 13.5% of Icelanders tuning in.
If there is something that Icelanders love more than glaciers and hot springs, it is the Eurovision Song Contest. Iceland has always been considered the nation most obsessed with Eurovision, with imaginary viewing figures that routinely border on 100%. However, the decision to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 in protest of Israel’s participation led to one of the largest and most embarrassing ratings crashes in European history.
Historically, according to data from the Icelandic national broadcaster RÚV and Gallup, Iceland consistently holds the ratings records for the competition, boasting the highest market share in Europe relative to its population. This data was strictly maintained even in years when the country failed to qualify for the Grand Final, such as from 2015 to 2018, when the market share still stood between 95% and 98%. This year, however, that streak was completely broken.
To understand the magnitude of the crash that occurred this year, one must examine past data:
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The Peak Year (2021): The success of Daði Freyr and the band Gagnamagnið brought an unbelievable market share of 99.9%. This means that virtually every television turned on in Iceland that evening was tuned into Eurovision.
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The Return to the Top (2025): Just last year, the qualification of the band VÆB to the Grand Final pushed Iceland back to the top of the European chart with a phenomenal market share of 97.8%.
The Impact of the Broadcast Shift and Public Apathy
Following the decision of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to allow Israel to compete, Iceland chose to officially withdraw from Eurovision 2026. Although the national broadcaster RÚV did broadcast the competition, it relegated the shows to its secondary channel, RÚV 2, using the official excuse of a schedule conflict with local elections.
The result of the boycott and the scheduling shift was catastrophic. A new survey by the Icelandic institute “Maskína” reveals a bleak picture of public apathy: only 13.5% of respondents answered that they watched the live broadcast of the Grand Final, while 86.5% reported that they did not watch it at all. This represents a significant and unprecedented plunge for a country accustomed to its entire population holding its breath on the night of the competition.
Political Alignment and Viewing Habits
The truly fascinating data emerges when analyzing the few remaining viewers according to their political affiliation. It appears that Eurovision in Iceland transformed this year from a unifying event into a polarizing political issue:
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Higher Turnout Among Right and Center Voters: Voters of the “People’s Party” (19.7%) and the conservative “Independence Party” (18.1%) were the most likely to watch the competition.
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The Left Boycotted Entirely: Voters of left-wing parties barely turned on their screens. Only 5.4% of “Pirate Party” voters and 4.1% of “Socialist Party” voters watched the Grand Final.
One might think that missing an event so deeply embedded in Icelandic culture would spark public nostalgia, but the figures indicate otherwise. Only 27% of those surveyed stated that they missed seeing Iceland compete on stage. The vast majority, 73% of the public, replied that Iceland’s absence from the competition did not bother them at all. Here too, political divisions were sharp: 46% of conservative voters expressed disappointment that Iceland stayed home, compared to 0% of “Pirate Party” voters.
These numbers prove beyond a doubt that while the boycott may have kept the Icelandic delegation at home and generated noise online, in practice, it managed to instantly erase decades of a national viewing tradition and an uncompromising love for the world’s largest music competition.
Eurovision 2026: Iceland did not participate in Eurovision 2026. Iceland joined the competition in 1986 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 1999 and Eurovision 2009 after finishing second twice.
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Roie is a journalist, content creator, and commentator specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. His extensive knowledge and in-depth familiarity with the Eurovision world are reflected in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
