Or Nir Appointed Israeli Eurovision Spokesperson as Israel Opens as Early Favorite for 2027
Or Nir has been appointed spokesperson for Israel's 2027 Eurovision delegation ahead of the contest in Burgas, Bulgaria. Meanwhile, the quest for Israel's next representative launches soon on Keshet 12, as early betting odds place Israel as the shocking favorite to win.
Preparations for the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, scheduled for May in Burgas, Bulgaria, are shifting into high gear with the appointment of Or Nir as the spokesperson for the Israeli delegation representing the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan). In his new role, Nir will lead PR and media relations both domestically and internationally, operating under Adva Galanti, acting head of Kan's PR and press department. The contest will be broadcast in Israeli media and Kan Box.
Nir brings extensive experience to the position, having served over the past two years as a senior communications advisor and member of the Israeli delegation. At the 2026 Eurovision in Vienna, where Israeli representative Noam Bitan secured second place with the song "Michelle," Nir successfully managed global and domestic media operations. A year prior at the 2025 Eurovision in Basel—where Yuval Raphael also finished runner-up with "New Day Will Rise"—he handled public relations on behalf of Teddy Productions alongside international strategic consulting.
Alongside this appointment, the journey to select Israel's next representative is officially underway. The new season of "The Next Star for Eurovision 2027" premieres in exactly a week, airing on Sunday, October 15, via Keshet 12. Hosts Rotem Sela and Assi Azar gathered alongside judges Keren Peles, Itay Levi, Shiri Maimon, and Assaf Cohen at the Elkonin Hotel in Tel Aviv for the festive season launch event. Noam Bitan also attended, officially passing the baton to the incoming contestants.
This momentum comes amid a major boost from early betting odds. Although no song has been released yet, Greek betting site Novibet published the season's opening odds, placing Israel in the number one spot as the early favorite to win. Israel opens the race with exceptionally low odds of 2.75, an unprecedented figure for this stage, driven by a string of four consecutive top-five finishes, including two runner-up placements.
Israel currently leads Sweden in second place with odds of 3.00 and Italy in third at 4.00, while Ukraine, a historic debut by Canada, France, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, and Greece round out the top ten. These strong figures demonstrate that despite boycott calls and initiatives from countries such as Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands, international bookmakers firmly back Israel's musical appeal and widespread public support as a leading contender for victory.
