Slovenia withdraws from Eurovision 2026 over Israel participation
Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO confirms it will not participate in Eurovision 2026, following the decision to allow Israel to compete. RTVSLO says participation under these conditions would conflict with its values of peace, equality and respect
RTVSLO stated that Slovenia’s participation in Eurovision 2026 under the current circumstances is no longer possible. The broadcaster emphasised that the situation surrounding Israel’s participation, together with the broader context and events linked to the recent editions of Eurovision, is incompatible with the values it upholds.
As a result, Slovenia will not send an entry to Vienna and will not appear in the final line-up for Eurovision 2026.
The broadcaster added that the concerns voiced by several European broadcasters at the General Assembly showed that questions about neutrality, independence and the apolitical nature of the Contest remain unresolved. These issues, according to RTVSLO, contributed to its conclusion that participating in 2026 would not be compatible with its responsibilities as a public broadcaster.
Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest
Slovenia made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993, and since then has participated 30 times. They have never won the contest, and the best result for Slovenia is two 7th place finishes in 1995 and 2001.
Since the introduction of the Semi-finals in 2004, Slovenia has only managed to qualify for the Grand Final 8 times out of 21.
