Netherlands to return to Eurovision in 2027 under NPO

The Netherlands will return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027 after missing the 2026 edition, with public broadcaster NPO coordinating the Dutch entry instead of AVROTROS, which has said it will not take part. NPO said an independent team of experts will guide the process and select the act. The 2027 contest is scheduled to take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, with semifinals on May 11 and 13 and the final on May 15. The Netherlands’ artist has not yet been announced. NOS will handle previews, live coverage and commentary, according to the reported plan. NPO said the European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, had taken significant steps on contest rules. The Dutch public broadcaster said it had asked the EBU to emphasize Eurovision’s unifying character. NPO’s stated reasons for returning differ from AVROTROS’s assessment of the changes. AVROTROS withdrew from the contest in August, saying Eurovision could no longer be considered neutral amid divisions over the war in Gaza and Israel’s participation. The broadcaster also cited humanitarian suffering and said the EBU’s changes had not restored sufficient confidence in the contest’s independence and neutrality.