RÚV, Iceland’s public broadcaster, will announce its decision on whether the country will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 later this autumn. The confirmation came directly from Eva Georgs Ásudóttir, the broadcaster’s Programming Director, in exclusive correspondence with ESCspot.
According to Ásudóttir, no final decision has yet been made as discussions within the broadcaster continue. One key factor influencing the timing is Iceland’s involvement in the ongoing debate over Israel’s participation in the contest.
This is not the first time RÚV has postponed its Eurovision decision. In 2024, amid controversy surrounding Israel’s participation, the broadcaster initially delayed confirming Iceland’s involvement. That year, the announcement came only on 11 March, several weeks after many other countries had already committed.
Given this history, it is believed that RÚV is once again waiting to see how the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) addresses the Israel issue before making its own call. In recent months, the broadcaster’s leadership has taken a strong position, with the RÚV board voting in favour of supporting Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision should the matter arise at the EBU’s General Assembly.
For now, fans will have to wait until autumn for RÚV’s final word but given Iceland’s past actions, the decision could once again become one of the most closely watched in the run-up to Eurovision 2026.
Source: ESCspot