Eurovision Song Contest live tour 2026 postponed due to “unforeseen challenges”

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has confirmed that the inaugural ‘Eurovision Live Tour’ has been postponed.

• READ MORE: Eurovision 2024 – fans and boycotters speak: “This is bigger than the contest”

Announced last month, the tour was set to coincide with the annual song contest’s 70th anniversary, with stops announced across ten cities this summer.

However, Martin Green, the director of the song contest, said in a statement Friday (February 13) that “unforeseen circumstances” had led them to take the “difficult decision” to axe the new tour.

“We regret to announce that we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the Eurovision Song Contest Live Tour 2026,” he said, per BBC. “We have encountered unforeseen challenges that, despite the best efforts of our team, the producers, and promoters, we have been unable to resolve.

“To the thousands of fans who bought tickets, thank you. We will ensure you will be refunded in full as soon as possible.”

He went on to say that Eurovision would be “relaunching” the live tour only once it could “ensure the world-class experience that our fans expect”, and added that their “focus remains on delivering an incredible Eurovision Song Contest in May”.

News of the axed tour comes amid ongoing backlash over Israel being allowed to participate in the song contest this year.

Multiple countries have pulled out in protest of the controversial decision to allow Israel to compete this year, and these include Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Iceland. Late last year, Portugal’s participation in the competition was put at risk as 11 of the 16 entrants in their song selection contest refused to represent them if they won.

Nemo, the winner of the Eurovision 2024, also returned their trophy to the headquarters of the EBU over “Israel’s continued participation”.

Eurovision director Martin Green addressed the situation in a statement, saying that “the Eurovision Song Contest continues to be a place where friendships are forged, languages are learned and new genres and artists are discovered”. He concluded: “In a challenging world we can indeed be United by Music.”

Austrian singer-songwriter JJ won the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with his track ‘Wasted Love’, beating Israel’s Yuval Raphael in second place. UK entry Remember Monday landed in 19th place with ‘What The Hell Just Happened?’.