The Netherlands confirmed on August 24 that it will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2027. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS cited increasing divisions around the event related to the Gaza conflict and other international tensions, which it says undermine Eurovision’s neutral character [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

AVROTROS director-general Taco Zimmerman said, "It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division." He added the withdrawal is painful but aligns with the broadcaster’s values, stating, "As a public broadcaster, we remain committed to our values. They guide us in everything we do, even when that means stepping away from a contest very important to us" [1, 3, 5].

The broadcaster also cited humanitarian suffering in Gaza, with the local Health Ministry reporting 1,286 killed and 4,257 injured as of the Sunday before the announcement, and press restrictions contributing to divisions around the contest [4]. Zimmerman pointed out Eurovision was created to bring people and countries together, a mission he says has been compromised [4].

Five countries, including the Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, boycotted the 2026 contest over Israel’s participation, which contributed to a drop in viewership from about 166 million in 2025 to 131 million in 2026—a decline of 35 million viewers [2, 3, 5]. Israel placed second in both the 2025 and 2026 contests [1, 2, 3, 5].

Eurovision organizers have stated that any country involved in an armed conflict will be excluded from hosting future contests. This announcement came earlier in August 2026 amid tensions related to the Gaza war [1, 2, 3, 5].

The 2027 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled for May 15 in Burgas, Bulgaria, marking Bulgaria’s first time hosting the event [2, 3, 5].