Eurovision 2026 viewership declines amid country boycotts

The 70th Eurovision Song Contest recorded 131 million viewers, a decrease of 35 million compared to the previous year. The decline follows the decision of the Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia to withdraw from the competition in protest of Israel's participation. Among these nations, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia also opted not to broadcast the event. Bulgaria won the competition with the song "Bangaranga" by Dara, while Israel placed second. Data from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) indicates significant audience drops in Poland (3.8 million), the UK (3.7 million), and France (3.3 million). Despite the broadcast viewership decline, the event recorded over one billion views on Instagram. Martin Green, the contest director, expressed a commitment to working toward the return of the boycotting nations by 2027.