Eyeing Israel’s near-wins, Eurovision to bar conflict-hit countries from hosting contest

Eurovision organizers announced a new policy on Wednesday that bars countries involved in armed conflicts from hosting the song contest. Under the updated rules, the traditional arrangement where the winning nation hosts the following year is subject to this restriction, though the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) retains the authority to permit a winning nation to host if safety can be assured.

The policy change follows recent close victories and high placements by Israel, which finished in second place in both the current and previous years. While the rule applies broadly to conflict-hit countries, it directly impacts scenarios where nations engaged in ongoing conflicts might otherwise earn the hosting rights through competition victories.