Eurovision 2026: When the Illusion Broke

What if Eurovision was never as fair as we believed?

In the premiere episode of Under the Eurovision Radar, we take a step back from the lights, the performances, and the spectacle to examine something far more uncomfortable: the growing feeling that the contest is no longer what it used to be.

This is not just a recap of Eurovision 2026. This is the story of how we got here.

We go back to 2022, a year that many now see as the first major turning point. Ukraine’s victory, widely expected and overwhelmingly supported, raised a question that had always existed in the background but was suddenly impossible to ignore: can a song contest remain apolitical in a deeply political world? For many fans, that moment marked the beginning of a shift in perception — where context began to matter as much as, if not more than, the music itself.

From there, we move into the turbulent editions of 2024 and 2025, where controversy stopped being subtle and became central to the conversation. Accusations of disproportionate promotion, questions around fairness, and growing tensions within the fanbase began to erode trust in the system. Eurovision no longer felt like a level playing field — it felt like something else entirely.

But the real breaking point came behind closed doors.

In December 2025, during the European Broadcasting Union’s General Assembly, a historic decision was expected: a vote on whether Israel should remain in the competition. What followed, according to multiple accounts and reactions from delegations, was a deeply contested process marked by blocked procedures, denied votes, and allegations of institutional manipulation. The vote didn’t fail — it never happened.

The consequences were immediate.

Several countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Ireland, and Iceland, announced their withdrawal from the contest. Not over a performance, not over a result — but over a loss of trust. In a year that was supposed to celebrate Eurovision’s 70th anniversary, the contest instead faced one of the most significant crises in its history, with participation dropping and its identity called into question.

So where does that leave Eurovision?

In this episode, we explore whether 2026 represents the beginning of the end — or simply the end of the illusion. Because maybe Eurovision hasn’t changed as much as we think… maybe we’re just seeing it more clearly than ever before.

Correction: In the audio, we mistakenly refer to the EBU General Assembly as taking place in 2026. The correct date is December 2025.