Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ has confirmed it will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 for the second consecutive year, citing the ongoing loss of life in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there. RTÉ will neither participate in nor broadcast next year’s contest, which is set to take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, on May 15.
RTÉ said Ireland’s participation “cannot be justified” given the continued loss of civilian life in Gaza, while also expressing concern over the continued denial of independent access for international journalists to the territory. The decision follows Ireland’s withdrawal from the 2026 Eurovision in Vienna after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed that Israeli broadcaster KAN would remain eligible to compete.
Eurovision can no longer be considered neutral while a participating country remains involved in a large-scale military conflict. The EBU has said it respects both broadcasters’ decisions, with Eurovision director Martin Green adding that the organisation will remain in dialogue with RTÉ and hopes Ireland will return in the future.
