Eurovision organisers announce 2027 rule change for countries at war

The major rule change has been confirmed ahead of next year’s competition

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The organisers behind the Eurovision Song Contest have confirmed a change to the rules for 2027, stating that the "winning broadcaster will automatically be ineligible to host" the competition if their state is involved in an "armed conflict" or "sensitive geopolitical situation".

The announcement comes after several nations, including Spain – one of the “Big Five” nations ordinarily guaranteed a spot in the final - withdrew from this year’s competition due to Israel’s participation.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organising body behind Eurovision, has faced calls to ban Israel for three years running due to the country’s actions in Gaza, but has each time allowed Israel to remain in the competition.

More to follow...

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