🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina: BHRT Will Not Participate in Eurovision 2026

The public broadcaster of Bosnia & Herzegovina, BHRT, has confirmed it will not be participating in Eurovision 2026.

BHRT has confirmed to ESC Today that they will not be participating in the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. The confirmation comes as BHRT remains sanctioned by the EBU and is unable to participate in the contest due to debts owed to the organisation.

Lejla A. Babović, former Head of Delegation for Bosnia & Herzegovina, spoke about the challenges facing BHRT returning to the contest, ahead of the 2025 contest. Ms Babović explained that BHRT would need its funding model to be resolved and debts to be resolved, and then the support of a private sponsor to enable a return to the competition.

Bosnia and Herzegovina last participated in the 2016 contest, in which returning artist Deen represented the country with the song “Ljubav Je” along with Dalal, Ana Rucner and Jala. The group just missed out on qualification chances, ending in 11th place in the semi-final with 104 points.

Image source: Albin Olsson | Source: ESC Today

Bosnia & Herzegovina debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest as an independent country in 1993. At the time the country was at war with Yugoslavia, with the singers having to leave Sarajevo under the cover of darkness to make it to Ireland. Bosnia & Herzegovina’s best result in the Eurovision Song Contest came in 2006, when Hari Mata Hari finished 3rd in the final with 229 points with “Lejla”. The country received eight sets of 12 points, more than any other country. Bosnia & Herzegovina last participated in 2016 where Dalal & Deen feat. Ana Rucner & Jala finished 11th in their semi-final and failed to reach the final.

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