This year’s Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is heading into its grand final under a cloud of controversy as tensions over Israel’s participation continue to dominate the competition.
Spain will not take part in Eurovision for the first time in modern history after RTVE previously withdrew over Israel’s continued involvement amid the war in Gaza and the wider Middle East conflict.
The final takes place this Saturday, but in Spain the atmosphere surrounding Eurovision has changed dramatically.
No Spanish television channel will broadcast the live final, creating what some commentators have described as a ‘media blackout’ around the contest.
Attention is now focused heavily on Israel’s participation and whether the country could potentially win the competition thanks to large-scale televoting campaigns.
Adding fuel to the controversy, The New York Times published an investigation on Monday alleging that Israel used Eurovision as a ‘soft power tool’ backed by an organised government campaign.
The report claims Israel spent at least $1million promoting its Eurovision participation, with part of the funding allegedly linked to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to the investigation, Israel launched extensive online advertising campaigns in multiple languages encouraging viewers to vote repeatedly for the Israeli entry.
The newspaper also claimed Netanyahu himself shared social media posts urging supporters to back Israel’s contestant.
Eurovision rules officially prohibit governments from influencing voting in the contest, which is intended to celebrate music and cultural exchange rather than political campaigning.
However, the New York Times investigation argued that the structure of Eurovision televoting means relatively small numbers of coordinated voters can significantly influence results in certain countries.
The paper warned that ‘a few hundred’ highly motivated voters repeatedly casting ballots could potentially alter the final outcome in some markets.
The controversy has triggered growing unrest among broadcasters and media workers across Europe.
Employees at RTP have reportedly called for Portugal to boycott the competition, while criticism has intensified across social media and parts of the entertainment industry.
The ongoing political storm is also raising wider questions about Eurovision’s future.
According to the New York Times report, the contest now faces an ‘uncertain future’, with potential boycotts threatening major financial consequences for the organisers.
The European Broadcasting Union relies heavily on participation fees from national broadcasters, meaning any large-scale withdrawals could have serious economic repercussions for the competition.
