The decision follows the August withdrawal of Avrotros, the Netherlands’ public‑service broadcaster that had been responsible for the country’s Eurovision entry. In a statement at the time, Avrotros cited “humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the ongoing restrictions on press freedom” as the reason for pulling out of the competition.
NPO, which assumed responsibility for the Dutch participation after Avrotros stepped down, said it will submit a Dutch entry for the 2027 contest. The broadcaster added that it has been in “extensive discussions” with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) about the sensitivities surrounding the event, and that the EBU has recently amended its rules so that a winning broadcaster will be ineligible to host the contest if its state is involved in an armed conflict or a “sensitive geopolitical situation.”
The Netherlands joined a small group of countries – Iceland, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia – that boycotted the 2026 Eurovision in Vienna over Israel’s continued participation amid the Gaza war. The 2026 edition saw protests in the Austrian capital, and Israel’s Noam Bettan finished second behind Bulgaria’s Dara, who won with the song “Bangaranga.”
Jet de Ranitz, chair of NPO’s board, acknowledged the mixed feelings the contest evokes in the Netherlands. “We understand that taking part in Eurovision gives rise to mixed feelings,” she said. “We have explicitly asked the EBU to make the unifying character of the contest a central part of the event once again, in recognition of a time of geopolitical unrest, war and polarisation.”
Eurovision director Martin Green welcomed the Netherlands’ return, saying, “We are delighted to welcome the Netherlands back to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027. We value the constructive conversations we have had with NPO and look forward to working together to reinforce the contest as a place that truly reflects the spirit of ‘United by Music.’”
The 2027 contest will be staged in Burgas, Bulgaria, after Dara’s victory secured the hosting rights for the Balkan city. Organisers say the new rule changes and the renewed Dutch participation aim to preserve the contest’s tradition of bringing European nations together through music, even amid a climate of political tension.