Netherlands Pulls Out of Eurovision 2027 After NPO Says No Broadcaster Would Send an Act

The Netherlands will not send an act to the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest. NPO, the umbrella body for Dutch public broadcasting, announced the reversal on Tuesday, Oct. 27, about a month after it said the country would return.

NPO chair Jet de Ranitz said the organization had talked to broadcasters about facilitating a Dutch artist. "In those discussions, we initially felt there was sufficient support to return," she said. "As a result, we must conclude that it is currently too early to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027."

She added: "Due to the sensitivities surrounding the themes currently at play, we have decided to take a step back for the time being."

How the Dutch got here

AVROTROS has run the Dutch entry since 2014. It sat out the 2026 contest and said it would stay away again in 2027, arguing the event can no longer be considered neutral while a participating country, Israel, is involved in a large-scale military conflict. It said it would return only once "transparent rules" exist for countries involved in military conflicts.

NPO then stepped in. At the end of September it said it would organize a Dutch entry itself, using an independent team of outside experts and inviting other public broadcasters to contribute.

None of them agreed to provide staff, according to Eurovision World's account of the process. NPO media director Jurre Bosman said NPO would send an artist only with the full backing of at least one broadcaster. That backing never came.

Pressure inside NPO

The September decision drew immediate blowback. Dozens of complaints went to the ombudsman for public broadcasters. Hundreds of NPO employees, roughly 400 to 500 depending on the count, signed a letter urging the organization to drop the plan. The letter said that "the desire to take part in an entertainment programme is considered more important than the countless lives of people who are being murdered."

De Ranitz did not directly mention Israel in her statement. Bosman did. He said Israel's participation "elicits various reactions in society and causes discussion and division."

De Ranitz also defended the idea of taking part. NPO believes it is important to serve all Dutch people, she said, "including those who hold the Eurovision Song Contest dear," and that the contest "belongs on public television."

Culture minister Rianne Letschert said it was an "editorial decision" and not her place to intervene. She said she understood that none of the broadcasters were prepared to take over the entry.

What Eurovision's organizers say

Eurovision director Martin Green said he was "deeply sorry" and that the organizers "understand their decision, and we respect the strength of feeling behind it." He acknowledged that opinions about the contest "differ widely, both within countries and between them."

Green also argued the contest is worth defending. "We believe the Eurovision Song Contest matters in a divided world," he said, calling it one of the few moments each year when people from across Europe come together around music. He said organizers look forward to a Dutch entry again when they "feel the time is right."

NOS will still broadcast the 2027 contest in the Netherlands, with Dutch commentary and a preview show. The semi-finals and final will air without a Dutch act, as they did this year.

The wider field

Five broadcasters skipped the 2026 contest over Israel's inclusion: the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Slovenia and Spain. Critics cited Israel's military actions in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

Ireland's RTÉ has confirmed it will sit out 2027 and will not broadcast the contest. It said Ireland's participation cannot be justified "given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza."

The head of Spain's public broadcaster has come out in favor of a boycott, though Spain has not made a final call. Iceland and Slovenia have not confirmed their plans and have not ruled out going.

Belgium's VRT said in May that chances of sending an artist were slim, then changed course and will take part. Czechia has also withdrawn, but its broadcaster cited spending cuts, not the Israel dispute.

The EBU has announced changes aimed at the divisions. They include barring any country involved in an armed conflict from hosting and altering the voting. Bulgaria hosts next May in Burgas, after Dara's win in this year's final.

The open questions are Spain, Iceland and Slovenia. Each has to decide whether to travel to Burgas. The Dutch door is not closed, but with AVROTROS holding out and NPO unable to find a willing broadcaster, nobody has said who would send an artist in 2028.