Slovenia quietly prepares to sit out Eurovision 2026

While Vienna is getting ready to dress itself in glitter for May 2026, the mood in Ljubljana is noticeably more muted. Without issuing a formal announcement, RTV Slovenija has already given a very clear signal in its draft Programming and Production Plan: Slovenia will not take part in Eurovision 2026. Not on stage, and not even on screen.

No artist, no delegation, no live broadcast. Not for the main contest, and not for Junior Eurovision either. For the first time in years, the biggest music show on earth will simply not exist on Slovenian television. Just silence where the key change usually hits.

The political background is hardly a secret. RTV has maintained for months that if Israel remains in the contest, Slovenia will not participate. That position appears unchanged. But politics is only part of the story. The other part is painfully practical: money, manpower and priorities.

According to the document, 2026 will be a “year of sport” for the broadcaster. The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, the Football World Cup, international ski competitions in Kranjska Gora, Ljubno and Planica — these events will demand massive resources, both financially and logistically. In comparison, Eurovision, with all its technical complexity and costs, has clearly lost its place in the budget hierarchy.

There is some irony in the situation. Slovenia will remain an active member of the EBU. Its representatives will continue working in key committees, contributing to the Union’s strategy and content exchange. In other words: Slovenia is staying in the building… it’s just refusing to enter the party.

And the future? Even more uncertain. If Israel were to win in 2026, resulting in an Israeli-hosted contest in 2027, the absence of RTV Slovenia could be extended even further. A temporary protest might become a prolonged disappearance.

Instead of Eurovision glamour, RTV is doubling down on domestic content. Traditional music, folklore-inspired programming, a new urban music show for younger audiences, family-friendly entertainment formats, documentaries about the history of Slovenian television and more space for established local festivals like Melodije morja in sonca and Poletna noč. Slovenia will still have music. Just not that music.

The uncomfortable question remains hanging in the air:
Is this really a moral stand… or simply an economic and strategic retreat dressed in political language?

That answer should become clearer after the EBU General Assembly on 4 and 5 December. Until then, one thing is certain: when Eurovision lights up Vienna in May, Slovenia will be watching from the dark.

Or not watching at all.

Source: Evrovizija