Eurovision final marred by protests as five countries boycott over Israel

Event overview

How Eurovision Became a Global Soft Power Play

Updated 3 hours ago
Wall Street Journal
Al Jazeera
2 articles2 sources
Summary

Five countries have boycotted Saturday’s final over Israel’s participation, but the contest has been colored by political and regional rivalries for decades. This cluster currently includes 2 articles from 2 sources.

What this means

This cluster currently includes 2 articles from 2 sources. Sources in this event include Al Jazeera, Wall Street Journal.

Original reporting (2)
Wall Street Journal
Wall Street Journal
Wall Street Journal
Leaning right
5/16/2026

How Eurovision Became a Global Soft Power Play

Five countries have boycotted Saturday’s final over Israel’s participation, but the contest has been colored by political and regional rivalries for decades.

Eurovision final marred by protests as five countries boycott over Israel
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Leaning left
5/16/2026

Thousands protest at Eurovision final as five countries boycott over Israel

As the Eurovision Song Contest took to the stage for the Saturday night final in Vienna, thousands protested outside against Israel’s inclusion, and five countries boycotted the event over the genocidal war on Gaza . Protesters marched through the Austrian capital to highlight what critics described as a double.