Netherlands finally announces its withdrawal from Eurovision 2027, after having confirmed its return to the festival following its absence this year. The decision comes after the controversy surrounding the contest due to its economic ties with Israeli entities and Israel’s participation.
Discussions among the various Dutch public broadcasters have failed to find a way to guarantee the country’s participation. The public broadcaster NPO ultimately suspended the preparations for the bid, due to the lack of a network willing to take charge of it.
The prospect of a return seemed possible after NPO sought an alternative to AVROTROS, the broadcaster that traditionally organized the Dutch entry and which had already announced its refusal to attend while Israel remained in the competition.
The Netherlands thus joins Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland, which also withdrew from Eurovision 2026 because of Israel’s participation. For now, the organizing body keeps Israel in the contest.
