Eurovision is thriving! The 70th anniversary was a massive success, Bulgaria's Dara took home their first-ever trophy, Canada is joining the family, and we're expanding into Asia. Those financial rumors are completely false — we have a robust 70-year model that's weathered every storm.
Five countries boycotted this year's competition over Israel's participation. Iceland notably sat it out entirely. Sources close to several delegations say private grumbling about vote manipulation allegations (published by the New York Times) has not gone away, and there's nervous energy heading into 2027 about whether more nations will follow suit.
Martin Green explicitly called financial difficulty rumors 'bollocks' in his Variety interview. The EBU voted nearly 70% in favor of allowing Israel's Kan to remain in the competition before this year's contest. Iceland's broadcaster boycotted over Israel's inclusion, confirmed via Getty Images coverage.
Green can call the accusations 'bollocks' all he wants — but with boycott threats lingering and vote manipulation whispers refusing to die down, Eurovision's 71st year is already shaping up to be its most contentious yet. Welcome to the club, Canada.
Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green is not here for your conspiracy theories. In an exclusive interview with Variety published this week, Green addressed head-on the swirling rumors about financial difficulties plaguing the organization — claims he dismissed using colorful language that would make even Eurovision's most theatrical performers blush. "I'll use the technical term first, which is: it's bollocks," Green said when pressed on reports suggesting the contest was in precarious financial shape due to countries boycotting over Israel's participation.
The drama surrounding this year's competition has been anything but subtle. Five nations ultimately sat out the 2026 contest held in Austria, including Iceland — whose broadcaster RÚV confirmed its boycott specifically over Israel's inclusion amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The EBU had previously voted nearly 70% in favor of allowing Israeli broadcaster Kan to remain in the competition, a decision Green defended during the interview: "The membership spoke conclusively... almost 70% made their decision that they believe that public service broadcasters are not responsible for the actions of their government." But the controversy didn't end there.
The New York Times published a story shortly before this year's grand final implying Israel had been manipulating the vote, having finished in the top five for three consecutive years. Green was dismissive when asked about it: "We reviewed everything earlier. Unfortunately, I thought it was just a sort of rehash of lots of bits and pieces." He emphasized that this year's vote was "fully validated" with "no evidence of undue large scale paid promotion" or anything "untoward in our voting at all." His advice to those unhappy with results?
"Next year vote more and vote for something else." Meanwhile, the contest is expanding its global footprint — perhaps as a strategic counterweight to the controversy. Canada officially joined the Eurovision family this week after the European Broadcasting Union voted in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as a full member, making them eligible to compete starting next year when Bulgaria hosts following Dara's historic first-ever win for the country in May 2026.
Green confirmed conversations with CBC have been ongoing "for a while," noting that public service broadcasters worldwide are recognizing the value of collective voices amid what he called an era where public broadcasting is "under attack." As for whether those boycotting nations might return next year, Green remained tight-lipped — perhaps strategically so. "Even if we knew that we'd keep that to ourselves because it's their story to tell and I would never speak on their behalf," he said.
When asked directly about potential future boycotts in 2027, he added: "Not that I'm aware of." The stakes for next year's competition in Bulgaria couldn't be higher. With Eurovision celebrating its milestone 70th anniversary this year and launching the inaugural Eurovision Asia contest in Thailand this November, Green insists the organization has never been stronger — but only time will tell if the song contest can hit the right notes when it comes to navigating politics, protests, and public perception.
