Cornald Maas believes that the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest will be a ‘tarnished anniversary edition’. The Eurovision Song Contest expert and commentator from Bergen op Zoom writes this on Instagram.
The reason for Maas’s sharp reaction is the news that in addition to the Netherlands, Iceland has now also indicated that it will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. The countries do this because it has been decided that Israel can ‘normally’ participate.
“With Iceland withdrawing from the Eurovision Song Contest today, alongside four other countries, and with the more or less (financial) ‘mating’ of three countries that comeback “The 2026 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will still have the fewest number of participating countries (namely 35) since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004,” says Maas on his Instagram page. “In any case, it will be a tarnished anniversary edition in Vienna.”
Political interference Israel
Last week it was announced that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will allow Israel to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, despite the war being waged in Gaza and the political interference of the Israeli government in the 2025 edition.
The Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia and Ireland then decided to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest next year. Now Iceland is joining them.