Portugal risks going to Eurovision without the winner of the Song Contest

Almost all the musicians who will be at the Festival da Canção have warned that they will not go to Vienna, even if they win the Portuguese event.

The “internal war” continues because of the participation of Portugal no Festival Eurovision of Song 2026.

Israel was to participate in the event next year. The European Broadcasting Union decided, by majority, to approve the voting proposals in the name of “trust” and “neutrality”.

On the day of this announcement, public stations from four countries announced that they will not go to Vienna: Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia. This Wednesday, Iceland will also not participate.

Also on the day of the decision, the RTP announced that will be at the Eurovision Festival.

However, the winner of the Song Contest (RTP) is unlikely to be in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Musicians refuse

This is because the majority of musicians present at the Portuguese event reported that won’t go to Eurovision. Even if they win the RTP Festival: “We publicly declared, together (…), our refusal to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if we are representatives of the winning song of the Song Contest”.

“With words and songs, we act within the possibility given to us. We do not condone the violation of Human Rights”, stated the artists, bands and performers, together.

“Despite Russia’s ban on participation in the 2022 edition of Eurovision, for political reasons (the invasion of Ukraine), it was with surprise that we realized that the same fate was not given to Israel, which is, according to the UN, committing acts of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza”, justify the musicians.

Sign the document: Bateu Matou, Beatriz Bronze (Evaya), Cristina Branco, Djodje, Francisco Fontes, Gonçalo Gomes, Inês Sousa, Jorge Gonçalves (Jacaréu), Marquise, Nunca Mates o Mandarin and Rita Dias.

In other words, this boycott does not include AGRIDOCE, André Amaro, Bandidos do Cante, Dinis Mota and Sandrino.

Among the 16 participants, 11 ensure they won’t to Eurovision.

RTP doesn’t give in

In other words, there is a high probability that the Song Contest winner not going to the Eurovision Contest.

If the winner is one of those who refuse to go to Vienna, the RTP will participate same at Eurovision. But with another song, another interpreter.

“Regardless of the decision of the artists who subscribe to the statement, the content of which we understand, the RTP will once again organize the Festival da Canção and reaffirms that it will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026“, indicates a source from the public station, in the magazine.

RTP workers also had it. They believe that Portuguese public television should refuse to go to Vienna.

Why Israel participates

Remember that broadcasters who are only spokespersons for their governments cannot participate in Eurovision.

The organization promotes independence, autonomy for television – and that is precisely what happens in Israel with Kan, a television that is not controlled by Benjamin Netanyahu; In fact, the Government of Israel has already said that the public television station provides biased coverage and speaks in a “shameful way” with members of the Government.

In other words, defending Israel’s public broadcaster is defending one of the basic principles of the Eurovision Song Contest: “free and independent” public service broadcasting.