Eurovision 2026: The Eurovision fever begins! Who has confirmed, who has withdrawn and who is still considering?

Although there is still a lot of time until Eurovision 2026, the discussions about the selection of representatives and potential participants are already in full swing.

Yesterday, it was confirmed that the host city will be Vienna, and the date of the contest was announced, which further fueled the Eurovision fever.

So far, 20 countries have confirmed their participation, and their approaches are diverse. Some are sticking to tried and tested methods, while others are introducing changes in the hope of finding a formula for success.

However, as every year, the list also includes those who have officially withdrawn from the competition, leaving fans to mourn their absence.

Confirmed participants – tradition and innovation in action

The list of countries that have said „yes“ to the competition is getting longer, and their approaches to selecting representatives are diverse. Some are sticking to proven methods, while others are introducing changes in the hope of finding a formula for success.

• Proven National festivals:

  •  Albania (Festivali i Këngës),  Finland (UMK),  Denmark (Dansk Melodi Grand Prix),  Norway (Melodi Grand Prix),  Sweden (Melodifestivalen),  Spain (Benidorm Fest),  Lithuania (Eurovizija.LT),  Luxembourg (Luxembourg Song Contest) i  Latvia (Supernova) remain faithful to their tried-and-tested national finals. These formats are synonymous with an exciting, competitive atmosphere and attract a lot of attention every year.

• New formulas and internal selections:
  •  Austria has made a reversal: although it initially announced an internal selection, it ultimately decided to organize a national final, which delighted many fans.
  •  Germany is changing its broadcaster, so SWR will be responsible for the selection in the future.
  •  Greece will use the renewed Ethnikós Telikós format for the second consecutive year.
  •  Azerbaijan,  Cyprus,  Netherlands i  Switzerland have confirmed that they will choose their representative internally, while  Malta will organize a special songwriting camp.

• Other confirmed participants:

  • For the domestic audience, the most important news is that  Serbia has confirmed its participation. Although there is no official announcement yet, the national selection is expected to be organized again under the name „Pesma za Evroviziju“ (PZE). The call for entries should be announced soon, marking the beginning of the search for a new representative.
  •  The United Kingdom has ensured continuity by collaborating with BBC Studios until 2028.

  •  Israel has confirmed its participation, but as in previous years, it is expected to choose its representative through the popular show HaKokhav HaBa. This country’s participation continues to cause much controversy due to the events in Gaza.

Countries that have said „No“

Unfortunately, several countries have confirmed that we will not see them on the Eurovision stage, for various reasons.  Andorra has confirmed it will not participate, citing a lack of financial resources.

Former participant,  Bosnia and Herzegovina has also confirmed that it will not return to the competition. The country last participated in 2016. You can read more about the reasons for their non-participation in a separate article HERE.

Similarly,  Slovakia has made it clear that there will be no return. According to their public broadcaster, the costs of full participation, including licenses and production, are simply too high compared to the revenue and social impact. You can read more about their non-participation in a separate article HERE.

 Bulgaria has also confirmed that it will not return to the 2026 contest. On August 22, the public broadcaster BNT announced via its official X account (formerly Twitter) that it has no plans for a Eurovision comeback. The country last took part in 2022.

Countries still considering

However, several countries are still keeping the audience in suspense, with decisions expected in the autumn.

•  Belgium,  Czechia,  Iceland i  Montenegro have not yet made a final decision, and the situation is similar for   San Marino, whose public broadcaster is still considering participation.
•  Slovenia has conditioned its participation on the EBU’s reaction to the controversial voting system from 2025, given serious doubts about the transparency of the results. The public broadcaster RTVSLO has, in fact, requested an official explanation and concrete steps from the EBU, otherwise it will consider withdrawing from the competition.
•  North Macedonia is seriously considering a comeback, but financial problems remain a major obstacle. Although there is interest from performers, the Macedonian public broadcaster MRT faces challenges in finding an adequate format for song selection and covering the high costs of participation.
• Interestingly,  Kazakhstan’s name is once again being mentioned as a potential debutant. The president of the public broadcaster Khabar Agency spoke with the EBU’s Director General at the EBU General Assembly about possible participation. The arguments included the country’s geographical location, successful participation in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, and strengthening ties with the European Union. A final decision on a possible invitation for a debut in Vienna will be made at the next EBU board meeting. You can read more about their potential debut in a separate article HERE.

Conclusion

The list of participants for Eurovision 2026 is getting more complete every day, and the confirmation of the host city and the contest date has brought additional energy to the Eurovision community.

While some countries are confident in their plans, others are still weighing financial and political circumstances.

One thing is for sure: another exciting competition full of musical surprises awaits us.

We are eagerly awaiting the autumn, when we will find out if there will be any more surprises on the list of participants and who will be fighting for the title in Vienna.