The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest begins in Vienna tonight with the first semi-final taking place against a backdrop of heightened security, political controversy and broadcaster boycotts linked to Israel’s participation in the competition.
Austria is hosting this year’s contest after singer JJ secured victory at Eurovision 2025 with the song Wasted Love. While Eurovision is traditionally celebrated as a colourful showcase of music and unity, this year’s event has been overshadowed by ongoing criticism surrounding the inclusion of Israel amid the war in Gaza.
RTÉ is among several broadcasters that have withdrawn from the competition. In December, the Irish broadcaster announced that Ireland would neither participate in nor broadcast the 2026 contest after the European Broadcasting Union confirmed Israel would remain in the line-up.
At the time, RTÉ said Ireland’s involvement in Eurovision had become “unconscionable” given the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The broadcaster also expressed concern over the killing of journalists during the conflict and criticised the continued restrictions preventing international media access to Gaza.
Despite the controversy, the competition officially gets underway tonight with 15 countries competing for places in Saturday’s Grand Final. The nations taking part in the first semi-final are Moldova, Sweden, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Georgia, Finland, Montenegro, Estonia, Israel, Belgium, Lithuania, San Marino, Poland and Serbia.
Germany and Italy, who automatically qualify for the Grand Final as part of Eurovision’s so-called “Big Five” system, will also perform during the show and take part in the voting.
The build-up to tonight’s semi-final has already generated further controversy after Israeli broadcaster KAN received a formal warning over promotional material encouraging viewers to “vote 10 times for Israel”. The videos, which were released by the Israeli delegation, featured direct appeals for supporters to use all ten of their available votes on Israel’s entry.
Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green said the campaign breached the spirit and rules of the competition, explaining that broadcasters and performers are not permitted to encourage mass voting in favour of a single act. He confirmed the videos were removed after organisers contacted the Israeli delegation and said KAN had subsequently been issued with a formal warning.
Attention will then turn to Thursday’s second semi-final, where Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Romania, Luxembourg, Czechia, Armenia, Switzerland, Cyprus, Latvia, Denmark, Australia, Ukraine, Albania, Malta and Norway will compete for the remaining spots in the Grand Final. Austria, as host nation, alongside France and the United Kingdom, will also perform and vote during that show.
Security has been significantly increased across Vienna ahead of Eurovision week. Police are preparing for demonstrations linked to Israel’s participation, with protests expected near the contest venue and fan areas.
Authorities have announced a ban on drones within a 1.5km radius of Eurovision sites, while airport-style screening procedures and strengthened cybersecurity measures will also be in operation throughout the event. Although officials say there is no specific threat targeting Eurovision, Austria remains at its second-highest terrorism alert level.
Tonight’s semi-final marks the beginning of Eurovision week, with the Grand Final set to take place on Saturday night.
