Czechia to skip Eurovision next year to save money

Czech Television announced on the social platform X that the Czech flag will not be seen on the Eurovision stage next year. The broadcaster said it hopes to return to the contest at some point and thanked performers and fans for their support.

Background: a dispute over media funding

The government led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš wants public television and radio to move from funding based on viewer licence fees to direct government funding. Critics, including Reporters Without Borders, say this threatens the independence of public media. In June, Czech Television and Czech Radio staged a symbolic strike against the plan.

Babiš's critics accuse him of trying to curb public media independence, as Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán have done. The prime minister says his coalition is simply keeping a promise to voters to cut costs. Both broadcasters have already announced staff reductions and programme adjustments. Parliament, where the coalition holds a majority, has not yet voted on the funding reform.

Impact on the contest

The Czech decision is another financial blow to the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the contest. Ireland and Spain are expected to boycott Eurovision 2027 over Israel's participation. This year, five countries boycotted the contest: Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain. Russia's participation has been suspended following its renewed invasion of Ukraine.

This year's final in Vienna was watched on Czech Television by 287,000 people, or 13.37% of the audience. No Czech entrant has ever won Eurovision. Next year's contest will be held in May in the Bulgarian city of Burgas.