The Eurovision Song Contest has changed its hosting rules to address countries affected by armed conflict, introducing new measures that could prevent a winning country from hosting the following year’s competition if security concerns make it unsafe. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) approved the changes after its annual review of the contest rules, following a politically contentious 2026 competition in Vienna.
Under the updated rules, a winning broadcaster will be ineligible to host Eurovision if an armed conflict, sensitive geopolitical situation or another situation materially affects the security, safety or stability of its country or immediate region.
The EBU can also commission an independent security assessment of the winning country’s region if it considers one necessary before deciding whether the contest can be safely staged there.
What are Eurovision’s new hosting rules?
The new rules change the assumption that the country winning Eurovision will automatically host the following year’s competition.
If the winning country is involved in an armed conflict, or faces another serious geopolitical or security situation, the EBU’s Reference Group can determine that it is unable to host.
The EBU said an independent security assessment may be commissioned where necessary. The Reference Group will then consider the assessment before deciding whether the winning broadcaster can safely stage the contest.
The changes are intended to ensure that Eurovision can continue to be hosted in a safe and secure environment.
The rule is broader than simply applying to countries officially at war. It also covers situations that could affect the safety or stability of the winning country or its immediate region.
Why has Eurovision changed its hosting rules?
The rule changes follow a particularly contentious Eurovision in 2026, when Israel’s participation became a major political issue.
Five broadcasters, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland, withdrew from the 2026 contest over Israel’s inclusion. The competition itself was held in Vienna on May 16, with Israel finishing second and Bulgaria winning with DARA’s “Bangaranga”.
The controversy also revived questions about how Eurovision treats countries involved in military conflicts.
In 2022, Ukraine won Eurovision with Kalush Orchestra’s “Stefania”. The following year’s contest was moved to Liverpool after the EBU determined that Ukraine could not safely host because of the ongoing war. The BBC worked with Ukraine’s public broadcaster to stage the 2023 competition in the UK.
The EBU’s new rules establish a clearer framework for handling a similar situation if a country affected by conflict wins in the future.
Amnesty International criticised Eurovision’s Israel decision
Amnesty International had called for Israel to be suspended from Eurovision 2026 before the contest took place.
Its Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, accused the EBU of applying different standards to Israel and Russia.
“The failure of the EBU to suspend Israel from Eurovision, as it did with Russia, is an act of cowardice and an illustration of blatant double standards when it comes to Israel.”
Callamard also criticised the decision to allow Israel to participate while the war in Gaza continued.
“Instead of sending a clear message that there is a cost for Israel’s atrocity crimes against the Palestinian people, the EBU has given Israel this international stage even as it continues to commit genocide in Gaza, unlawful occupation, and apartheid. The EBU is betraying the values of the Eurovision Song Contest, which include freedom from intolerance, hate speech, and discrimination.”
Amnesty’s statement was issued ahead of the 2026 semi-finals. The organisation said broadcasters from Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland had withdrawn because of Israel’s participation.
Ukraine’s Eurovision hosting dilemma
The new rule also brings greater clarity to an issue Eurovision faced after Ukraine’s 2022 victory.
Kalush Orchestra won the contest in Turin with “Stefania”, but the EBU subsequently decided that Ukraine could not safely host Eurovision 2023 because of the war following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The contest was instead staged at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena, with the BBC and Ukrainian broadcaster UA working together on the production.
The decision allowed Ukraine to retain a central role in the event while avoiding the security risks associated with hosting a major international television production in a country at war.
Bulgaria will host Eurovision 2027
The new rules will not affect the 2027 contest. Bulgaria is scheduled to host Eurovision after DARA won the 2026 competition in Vienna with “Bangaranga”.
DARA gave Bulgaria its first Eurovision victory, scoring 516 points in the Grand Final. The win came on May 16, 2026, at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle.
The EBU has confirmed that Eurovision 2027 will be held in Bulgaria, although the host city was still being determined at the time of this report.
The updated hosting rules mean that future winners will no longer have an automatic guarantee of hosting rights if their country’s security situation makes staging the competition impractical or unsafe.
What the new Eurovision rules mean for future winners
The changes give the EBU a formal mechanism for dealing with a situation that previously required individual decisions.
A Eurovision victory can still result in the winning country hosting the following year’s competition, but the broadcaster must now be able to provide a safe environment for artists, delegations, production staff, journalists and fans.
For countries facing armed conflict or serious regional instability, the new process could therefore separate winning Eurovision from hosting Eurovision.
That distinction became particularly relevant after Ukraine’s 2022 victory and the political controversy surrounding Israel’s participation in 2026.
