The Eurovision Song Contest will go on tour to celebrate its 70th anniversary | Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest will go on its first ever tour to celebrate its 70th anniversary, its organizer said, as it suffers a boycott over Israel’s participation.

Five countries withdrew from the competition over Israel’s war on Gaza, leaving 35 countries to take part in the world’s largest live music event – the smallest number since participation expanded in 2004.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said on its website on Thursday that the tour scheduled for June and July will bring together “representatives of the famous Eurovision Song Contest and 2026 artists.”

She praised the tour as “a celebration of the competition’s legacy, global fan community and seven decades of unforgettable music.”

“The artists will perform their own Eurovision Song Contest entries as well as cover versions of their favorite songs from the competition’s 70-year history,” the EBU added.

Ten European cities, including London and Paris, will host the round from June 15 to July 2, after the competition finals in Vienna on May 16.

The draw on Monday determined that Israel will participate in the first semi-final, on May 12, starting at 9 p.m. local time.

Some countries accused Israel of manipulating the public voting system during the 2025 competition held in Switzerland, where it placed second behind Austria. But it was concerns about Israel’s war in Gaza that drew the sharpest criticism, with Irish broadcaster RTÉ citing the “horrific loss of life in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there” as a reason for not participating.

Along with RTÉ, broadcasters from Spain, Iceland, the Netherlands and Slovenia said in December they would withdraw, while 2024 winner Nemo returned his trophy in protest.

On Tuesday, Conchita Forrest, one of the contest’s most symbolic winners, announced that she would not participate in any future Eurovision events, citing a “personal decision.”

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation “Kan” welcomed the decision to keep Israel in the competition, rejecting allegations of political interference. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that Israel “deserves to be represented at every stage around the world.”

Johannes Piech, known as JJ, the winner of the 2025 race, last year called for an Austrian version “without Israel” but later apologized for the uproar his proposal caused in his country.

Only 97,000 fans watched Monday’s semi-final draw on YouTube, compared to more than 240,000 fans last year. But the EBU cheered “record ticket sales” for the upcoming edition, after launching online sales on Tuesday.