The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have introduced new rules for the competition
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has changed the rules for hosting the Eurovision Song Contest. From now on, the winning country will not be guaranteed the right to host the next contest if holding the event on its territory would be unsafe due to war or a complex geopolitical situation.
Under the new rules, the selection of a Eurovision host country will take into account armed conflicts, tense geopolitical situations, and other factors that could pose a threat to the security, safety, or stability of a country or region.
If necessary, the EBU may commission an independent assessment of the security situation. If experts conclude that holding the contest in the winning country is unsafe, the organizers will have the right to select another venue for Eurovision.
Eurovision Director Martin Green stated that the changes are intended to provide participants with greater certainty and ensure the contest is held safely.
These changes are particularly relevant for Ukraine, which continues to face full-scale Russian aggression.
In 2022, Ukraine won Eurovision, but was unable to host the contest the following year due to the security situation. As a result, Liverpool in the United Kingdom hosted Eurovision 2023.
The EBU has now formally enshrined in its rules the option not to award the right to host the contest to the winning country if the security situation prevents the event from being organized on its territory.
The new rules were also introduced amid discussions regarding Israel’s participation in Eurovision.
According to Politico, Israel’s participation has sparked widespread controversy over the past two years due to the war in Gaza. This year, five countries boycotted the contest.
Thus, the EBU now has a clearly defined mechanism that allows it to move the Eurovision Song Contest to another country due to security or geopolitical risks, even if the contest was won by a country that, under normal circumstances, would host the next show.
This was reported by Politico.
As a reminder, Greek singer Akylas, who became a finalist in “Eurovision 2026,” found himself at the center of a scandal after performing a song by the Russian band “Tatu.” The video quickly went viral on social media and sparked a wave of criticism, particularly from Ukrainian users and LELEKA, Ukraine’s representative at the contest.
Meanwhile, the Public Broadcasting Service received 642 applications from young performers wishing to participate in the national selection for the “Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026.” This year, more than six hundred people expressed interest in representing Ukraine at the prestigious music show.
