Czech Television says it will not take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, citing budget cuts. The broadcaster said it hoped to return to the competition later.
The decision was announced Tuesday in a post by Czech Television on X. Eurovision rules allow only a broadcaster that belongs to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to select a country’s entrant. At the 2026 contest in Vienna, Czech singer Daniel Žižka placed 16th with “Crossroads”; the country has never won the competition.
The withdrawal comes as Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s coalition government plans to replace licence-fee funding with direct state funding for public television and radio and reduce their subsidies. Both institutions have already announced staff restructuring and programme adjustments. Parliament has not yet voted on the reform.
Critics, including Reporters Without Borders, warn that the change could threaten the independence of public media. Czech television and radio staff held a symbolic strike against the plan in June.
Prague’s decision is another financial blow to the EBU. Ireland and Spain have already said they intend to boycott Eurovision 2027 because of Israel’s participation. Five countries — the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Slovenia and Spain — also boycotted the 2026 contest, protesting Israel’s inclusion.