Spanish broadcaster RTVE has confirmed that they will not participate at Eurovision 2026.
RTVE confirms non participation
RTVE sent a letter to the EBU in May requesting a debate on Israel’s participation in the festival, and in September escalated the situation by directly threatening withdrawal. The corporation’s president,
José Pablo López, reaffirmed this Thursday about Spain’s stance on their Eurovision participation should Israel be allowed to compete.
So far, Spain joins the Netherlands in announcing their withdrawal from the 2026 contest. We will follow this situation closely and keep updating as events unfold.
Spain’s Eurovision journey
Spain debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 with Conchita Bautista’s “Estando Contigo”. The country earned its first win in 1968 with Massiel’s “La La La”, and won again in 1969 with Salome’s “Vivo Cantando” in an infamous four-way tie. Although they have yet to win again, Spain earned several 2nd place finishes, most famously with Mocedades’ “Eres tu” in 1973 and Anabel Conde’s “Vuelve conmigo” in 1996.
In 2025, Spain selected Melody. As part of the Big 5, she did not need to qualify for the Grand Final from the semi-finals. At the close of voting, her song “Esa Diva” finished 24th, with a total of 37 points. Of these, 27 points came from the jury, whilst 10 came from the televote.
What do you think of Spain’s withdrawal? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News Source: RTVE
Photo Credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU