Eurovision organisers have changed the contest rules so that a country involved in armed conflict, or facing a sensitive geopolitical situation affecting regional security, cannot host the following year’s event if it wins. The move formalises a process previously used when Ukraine won in 2022, and is widely seen as addressing concerns about Israel potentially hosting amid the war in Gaza and wider regional tensions.

The European Broadcasting Union may now commission an independent security assessment of a winning country’s region before deciding whether it can host safely. If it cannot, another broadcaster will stage the contest without being required to do so on the winner’s behalf; the rules also raise the minimum participant age from 16 to 18 and restrict backing tracks from supporting lead vocals excessively.