The press service of RÚV has confirmed that the Icelandic national broadcaster expects to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020.
The Icelandic national broadcaster RÚV, has confirmed to Eurovoix that expects to participate in the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest. Formal confirmation of participation in the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest is expected to come later this month, when the deadline for broadcasters to submit the required paperwork for participation draws closer.
Iceland returned to the Eurovision Song Contest finals for the first time since 2014, at the 2019 contest in Tel Aviv, Israel. Hatari finished 10th in the Grand Final scoring a total of 232 points.
Controversially during the voting sequence Hatari waved Palestinian flags, having not warned the Icelandic broadcaster or other members of their group.
It is not yet known whether the Icelandic national broadcaster faced any consequences for the actions that Hatari took in Tel Aviv. Following the contest in May it was reported by RÚV that the Reference Group of the Eurovision Song Contest would determine what the consequence would be following Eurovision 2019.
Iceland debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986 and, aside from 2 years of relegation in 1998 and 2002, has participated every year since. The contest is incredibly popular in Iceland, regularly being one of the most watched programmes of the year. Iceland has yet to win the contest but has finished in 2nd on two occasions. In 1999, Selma missed out on victory in Jerusalem by 17 points, and in 2009 Yohanna became the most successful Icelandic entrant ever finishing 2nd in the final with the song “Is it True?”. She scored 218 points, yet still finished 169 points behind the runaway winner Norway.
