The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is underway in Vienna with 35 countries competing over the coming days. The event faces geopolitical controversy related to Israel’s participation. NBC News reports that five countries plan to boycott this year’s contest, citing opposition to Israel’s involvement. PinkNews also reports that five countries withdraw from Eurovision 2026 over Israel’s participation, describing it as the largest boycott in the contest’s history since 1970. Both accounts frame the boycott as a significant development for the contest’s 70th-anniversary edition. NBC News adds that heightened security measures are in place for the event as it proceeds despite the boycott. With five countries absent, the number of participating nations is set at 35, which is described as the smallest field since 2003. The sources do not detail the specific countries in the provided excerpts.